F 73 
.37 
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Copy 1 










Some Events 

of Boston and Its 

Neighbors 




Printed for the 

State Street Trust Company 

Boston, Mass. 

1917 



Frs 

.37 



Copyright, 19 17, 

BY THE 

State Street Trust Company 



Compiled, arranged and printed by direction of 

Walton Advertising & Printing Co. 

Boston, Mass. 



/ 



m 16 1917 



'CI.A457107 





FOREWORD 



THE State Street Trust Company takes pleasure in presenting 
the twelfth in the series of brochures which it has issued on 
subjects connected with the history of Boston. The pamphlet 
covers this time some interesting events of Boston and some 
of the neighboring towns and is supplementary to the one issued last 
year entitled — "Some Interesting Boston Events." Many things 
have happened in Greater Boston which, though quaint and curious 
and, perhaps, amusing, have not been of sufficient importance to re- 
ceive more than a brief mention in the pages of the historians. It 
has been the aim in the present pamphlet to narrate such little-noticed 
happenings, and to illustrate the text as far as is possible with repro- 
ductions of old prints and photographs. The unusual interest shown 
in the historic brochures prepared during the past eleven years by the 
State Street Trust Company encourages the hope that the present 
volume will also prove acceptable and entertaining to the depositors 
of the Company and the general public. 

Among those to whom we are indebted for information used in the 
preparation of this brochure are the following: The late Gov. Curtis 
Guild; the officials of the Boston Public Library; Mr. Philip Hale; 
Mr. Walter K. Watkins; Mr. Charles F. Read of the Bostonian 
Society; Mr. Charles K. Bolton of the Boston Athenaeum. 

For special information in regard to certain subjects we are indebted 
to the following: Hon. Edmund Billings and Mr. Lawrence F. Sher- 
man for data pertaining to the Islands of Boston Harbour; Mr. George 
H. Tripp, of the Free Public Library, New Bedford, for data pertain- 
ing to the Gosnold Memorial; Mr. William C. Lane, of Harvard Col- 
lege Library, for information concerning the Harvard Ferry; Granville 
C. Mitchell, of Medford, for help regarding the Peak House; the 
Librarian of the Milton Library for material concerning Capt. Samuel 
Wadsworth; Mrs. George Philler and Mr. T. Dennie Boardman for 
data pertaining to the Prince of Wales Ball; Dr. Charles M. Green 
for information concerning the Royall House; Mr. Richard H. Dana 
for information pertaining to Anthony Burns; Mr. L. W. Jenkins for 
assistance in compiling the story of General Ward; Mr. J. T. Linzee 
for the picture of the New England Guards; Mr. Alfred Bowditch 
for data about the Practical Navigator; Mr. Hervey E. Wetzel for 
information concerning the Louisburg Expedition. 



FOREWORD 



Among the authorities consulted are: 

Old Landmarks of Middlesex, by S. A. Drake. 

Mt. Desert, by Geo. E. Street, edited by Samuel A. Eliot. 

Old Dartmouth Historical Sketches — Dedication of the Gosnold Memorial, Gosnold and his 

Colony at Cuttyhunk, by Annie R. Wall. 
The Gosnold Memorial Shaft, by Walter Ricketson. 
Curiosities of History, by W. W. Wheildon. 
The Ferry, the Charles River, and the Charlestown Bridge — Chairman Boston Transit 

Commission, Boston, the Place and the People, by M. A. de Wolfe Howe. 
Quincy's History of Harvard University. 
Old Boston Landmarks, by Drake. 
Social Life in New England, by Mary C. Crawford. 
The Islands of Boston Harbour, by Mrs. Julia Knowlton Dyer. 
King's Handbook of Boston Harbour, by M. E. Sweetser. 
History of Boston Harbour, by James H. Stark. 
Stage Coach and Tavern Days, by Alice Morse Earle. 
Bi-Centennial of the Burning of Medfield. 
History of Milton, by A. K. Teele. 
Barber's Historical Collections. 
Buried Treasure, by R. D. Paine. 
N. E. Legends and Folk Lore, by S. A. Drake. 
The Ships and Sailors of Old Salem, by R. D. Paine. 

Pamphlet about Royall House, New France and New England, by John Fiske. 
New England Roof trees, by Mary C. Crawford. 
Old Boston Days and W-ays, by Mary C. Crawford. 
Figures of the Past, by Josiah Quincy. 
Royalty in the New World, by Kinahan Cornwallis. 
Memories of One Hundred Years, by E. E. Hale. 
Boston under the Mayors, by Jane M. Bugbee. 
Trial and Rendition of Anthony Burns, by Stevens. 
Essex Institute Historical Collection, by Robert S. Rantoul. 
Publications of the Bostonian Society. 
The Old Shipmasters of Salem, by Charles E. Trow. 

Eulogy on the Life and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch, by Daniel Appleton White. 
Memoirs of Nathaniel Bowditch, by Nathaniel I. Bowditch. 

A Discourse on the Life and Character of Hon. Nathaniel Bowditch, by Alexander Young. 
Pamphlets of Boston Society. 

The Burning of the Ursuline Convent, by Ephraim Tucker. 
The Burning of the Convent, by one of the Pupils. 



IV 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Bartholomew Gosnold, the First Englishman to set Foot on New- 
England Soil I 

New England First Named 2 

Some Curious Old New England Customs 5 

The Islands of Boston Harbour 9 

The Harvard College Ferry 14 

First Muster of Militia, June, 1638: the First Parade of the 

Oldest Military Organization in America 16 

First New England Coinage 17 

The Burning of Medfield, formerly a Part of Dedham 19 

Captain Wadsworth of Milton attacks the Indians at Sudbury 21 

Governor Phips and His Sunken Treasure 23 

John Quelch, the Pirate, and His Execution in Boston 24 

The Adventure of Philip Ashton of Marblehead 26 

The Last Slave Quarters still standing in Massachusetts .... 27 

The Capture of Louisburg 27 

Governor Bernard's Grant of Mount Desert Island 29 

The First Stage-coach Line out of Boston 30 

The First American Traitor 32 

Captain Mugford's Capture of the British Ship "Hope" ... 33 

A Sharon Woman enlists in Continental Army 34 

Washington's Visit to Boston in 1789 35 

The New American Practical Navigator 36 

The New England Guards 40 

"Chesapeake" and "Shannon" 44 

Lafayette's Meeting in Boston with Colonel Huger, who de- 
scribes his Attempted Rescue of the General from the Aus- 
trian Prison 47 

The Burning of the Ursuline Convent in Charlestown 48 

The Trial and Rendition of Anthony Burns 50 

The Prince of Wales Ball October 18, i860 54 

A Massachusetts Soldier becomes a God of the Chinese .... 58 




From a colored print. Collection of the State Street Trust Company. 

CAPTAIN JAMES MUGFORD, A HERO OF OUR REVOLUTION. 

The inscription in fine type on this cut reads as follows: 

One of the heroic men with Thomas Russell ist Lieut, and 19 Officers and men from Marble- 
head who captured the armed British Transport Ship Hope Ladened with Powder, imple- 
ments of War and Pioneer Tools, destined for and in sight of the British Admiralty Fleet 
then in Nantasket Roads Novr 1775. The scarcity of Powder was severely felt by the Con- 
tinental Congress the procuring of it attracted their particular and constant attention, every 
encouragement had been held by them to the inhabitants of the Country, to engage in the 
manufacture thereof, no opportunity was neglected in importing, or seizing it from the 
Enemy. — March 1776 Genl Washington entered Boston in triumph, the British evacuated 
and embarked, and lay in Nantasket Roads waiting the arrival of their Powder Ship — The 
enterprising and heroic Mugford, with Officers and men captured said Ship and transfered 
her with Cargo to the United States Commissary Genl and Quarter Master, by the Con- 
tinental Agent, Col. Jonathan Glover. This was One of the most valuable prizes during the 
Revolution, the principal and interest to 1854, Amounts to 1,349,343 15/100 Dollars! this and 
similar events produced the general voice — "We will be free." Congress deliberately and 
solemnly decided to declare it to the world; and the Declaration of Independance was 
agreed to in Congress on the 4th of July 1776. Who can estimate the real value of that 
capture? 



Some Events of Boston 
and Its Neighbors 




BARTHOLOMEW GOSNOLD, THE FIRST ENGLISHMAN TO 
SET FOOT ON NEW ENGLAND SOIL 

SMALL bark called the "Concord" with only 
thirty-two persons on board set sail from Falmouth, 
England, in 1602, with the object of making a per- 
manent settlement in New England. It was agreed 
that twelve of the explorers should return and that 
the remainder should stay. Bartholomew Gosnold 
was the leader of the expedition and with him were 
several mariners who had gone to Virginia with 
Sir Francis Drake in 1585. It was not surprising therefore that the 
little ship made a very quick voyage, touching first at Cape Ann 
and then sailing around Cape Cod, which Gosnold called by this name 
on account of the abundance of fish. He then sailed past an island 
which he named Martha's Vineyard, now called No Man's Land, 
and which he reported as being full of deer. To Gay Head he gave 
the name of Dover Cliff, and continuing his journey the expedition 
landed on Elizabeth's Isle, now called Cuttyhunk, and here it was 
decided to start their settlement, the first in New England. The 
name Elizabeth now refers to the whole group of islands. Here part 
of the crew landed and built a small stone house or fort for comfort 
and for protection against the Indians. From here Gosnold visited 
the mainland, probably at New Bedford, twice landing at Naushon, 
where he sowed grain and noticed many deer. There were many 
dissenters in the little colony, and three weeks had barely passed when 
the "Concord" hoisted anchor and sailed for Exmouth, England, 
where she arrived "without one cake of bread, nor any drink but a 
little vinegar." Gosnold joined the Jamestown expedition in 1607, 
Captain John Smith also being on the same voyage. Gosnold died the 
same year in Jamestown and was buried there. 

The Gosnold Memorial Committee celebrated the three hundredth 
anniversary of Gosnold's landing at Cuttyhunk by laying the corner- 
stone of a memorial tower near the place where he landed. The 
Boston men on the committee who were present at the exercises 
were F. E. Abbot, Edwin D. Mead, and G. G. Williams. 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 








From a photograph. 



GOSNOLD MEMORIAL. 



Courtesy of George H . Tripp. 



The Gosnold Monument is on a small island in a pond in the larger island of Cuttyhunk. Gos- 
nold is the name of the near-by town which embraces all the Elizabeth Islands. 



NEW" ENGLAND FIRST NAMED 

Captain John Smith, "Admiral of New England," gave us the 
name of New England. With four London merchants he left England 
in March, 1614, on a trading expedition, sailing for North Virginia, 
as North America was then called. He landed near the Penobscot 
River and mentions the "Tarrantine" Indians who lived on the 
east side of this river. As he expressed it, "I chanced to arrive at 
Monahigan, an He of America ... to take whales, for which we had 
one Samuel Crampton and divers others expert in that faculty. . . . 
We found this whale fishing a costly conclusion. We saw many . . . 
but could not kill any." Captain Smith therefore in a small boat 
sailed westward along the coast with a few of his men, noting care- 
fully the promontories, rivers and harbours, drawing, as he expressed 
it, "a map from point to point, isle to isle, and harbour to harbour, 
with the soundings, sands, rocks and landmarks." The little expedi- 
tion sailed around Cape Ann, — which he called Cape Tragabigsanda, 
after a Turkish flame of his who rescued him from slavery in Turkey, — 
finally landing somewhere near Cohasset. How near he actually came 
to Boston Harbour will never be known, but it is quite certain that he 
sailed across Massachusetts Bay. He wrote afterwards that "the 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, WHO GAVE US THE NAME OF NEW ENGLAND. 

From John Smith's "Travels," "History of Virginia, New England, and Summer Isles." 1630. 
Massachusetts Historical Society. 

fairest reach in this bay was a river, whereupon I called it Charles 
River." His map shows this river, which was undoubtedly the 
channel between Long Island and Deer Island. He then sailed across 
the Bay, made a sketch of Cape Cod, rejoined his vessels, and set 
sail for England. His name however will be remembered by us 
owing to the fact that he called this land New England for the first 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



fT^f SMJXH. th?vnrnc^into the $ea,aott Infe to Sharer, and *vai j 




His three jinale Combats Chap- 7 • 
J I H is E. nco u nte r w itfi TVRJ3 AS HAW Cfiap ■ 7 : 

From a ma/). Collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

A CORNER OF JOHN SMITH'S MAP, SHOWING A SHIP OF THAT TIME. 



time. His map, although drawn six years before Plymouth was 
settled, and sixteen years before Boston, nevertheless mentions 
both names on it, his Boston being near Portsmouth, Hull being 
Hampton, Bristow then being called Boston. Other names given to 
various places were Cambridge, Sandwich, Dartmouth, Ipswich, 
Barnstable, London, Oxford. In one corner of this map is a portrait 
of "Captayne" John Smith, described as being thirty-five years of 
age. 

He was very enthusiastic about the new land and described it in 
these words: "Of all the parts of the world I have yet seen not in- 
habited, I would rather live here than anywhere." And again he 
writes, "And then the countrie of the Massachusits which is the para- 
dise of all those ports." 

Just before Winthrop sailed, John Smith wrote in his records, 
"Yet further for my paines to discredit me and my calling it New 
England, they obscured it and shadowed it with the title of Cannada, 
till, at my humble suit, King Charles confirmed it, with my map 
and books, by the title of New England." Captain Smith again set 
sail from England in 1615, but his ship never reached America. On 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

this second attempt he was captured by a French cruiser, and it was 
during his captivity that he wrote the narrative of his first voyage 
to New England. It was published in London in 1616, entitled "A 
description of New England: on the observations, and discoveries of 
Captain John Smith (Admirall of that Country) in the North of 
America in the year of our Lord, 1614." About three thousand of 
these pamphlets were distributed by him in order to encourage a 
movement towards colonization, but his efforts did not meet with 
much immediate success. It must not be forgotten however that 
his expedition was undoubtedly a contributing factor in establishing 
the English race upon Massachusetts Bay. 

SOME CURIOUS OLD NEW ENGLAND CUSTOMS 

A survey of the lives of the early Puritans reveals many quaint and 
curious customs. The life of a New Englander, particularly of a 
woman, was very strict, and special attention was given to grace and 
carriage. A piece of poetry written by Oliver Wendell Holmes well 
illustrates the care given to the woman's appearance: — 

"They braced my aunt against a board 
To make her straight and tall. 
They laced her up, they starved her down, 
To make her light and small. 
They pinched her feet, they singed her hair, 
They screwed it up with pins. 
Oh! never mortal suffered more 
In penance for her sins." 

To remain long unmarried was considered deplorable and it has 
been said of the colonists that "they married early and they married 
often." A woman was considered an old maid at twenty-five. 
Widowers and widows remarried as soon as possible, the record un- 
doubtedly being held by the wife of a certain Governor of New Hamp- 
shire who was a widow only ten days. Bachelors were scarce and 
were looked upon with much disfavor. In Hartford, "lone-men," as 
they were sometimes called, had to pay twenty shillings a week to 
the town for the selfish luxury of living alone. One of the most amus- 
ing laws was passed by the town of Eastham, Massachusetts, in 1695, 
the vote reading that "Every unmarried man in the township shall 
kill six blackbirds or three crows (every year) while he remains single; 
as a penalty for not doing it, shall not be married until he obey this 
order." A bachelor was constantly under the supervision of the 
constables and the watchmen and therefore actually gained rather 
than lost his freedom by marrying. The unmarried men of some towns 
were encouraged to marry by being offered plots of land on which 
to build, upon marrying. It is said that in Medfield, Massachusetts, 
there was a street called Bachelors' Row, which had in this way been 
assigned. 

Love-making in Boston was often carried on in the Common, one 
writer stating that "On the South there is a small but pleasant Com- 

5 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

mon where the gallants, a little before sunset, walk with their Marma- 
let-Madams till the nine o'clock bell rings them home to their respective 
habitations." From the above it seems that the New Englander 
kept early hours. John Quincy Adams also mentioned nine o'clock 
as the customary retiring hour in Quincy, following his remark by 
stating that if one were dining out and stayed after this hour one's 
horse invariably walked home alone. A curious custom concerning 
love-making was that the lover must first gain the consent of the 
girl's parents, who, however, having once given permission, could not 
retract. Court records show that parents were often sued for en- 
deavoring to end a sanctioned love affair. One record shows that 
a lover sued the girl's father for the loss of time spent in courting. 
The "coming out" or "walking out" of the bride was an important 
event in the community. This meant that the newly married couple 
appeared together often in public, led small processions of people 
to church, and took prominent seats in the gallery. Often in the 
middle of the service the bridal couple would rise and slowly turn 
around several times in order to attract the attention of their friends 
in the congregation. It is a curious fact that a magistrate, a captain, 
or even a prominent man in the community could perform the mar- 
riage service, but that a parson could not do so, — not until the be- 
ginning of the eighteenth century. Governor Bellingham actually 
performed the marriage service over himself. When he was "brought 
up" for this action, he persisted in remaining on the bench to try his 
own case. 

At weddings the garter of the bride was often scrambled for, the 
idea being that it would bring luck and a speedy marriage to the one 
who caught it. The old custom of giving "bride-gloves" has come 
down to us in the giving of gloves and ties to the ushers. A New 
England wedding in the old days ended by kissing the bride, firing 
guns, and drinking New England rum. There was no wedding trip 
then, the newly married couple starting housekeeping immediately. 
It is interesting to note how often ministers and their families married 
into the households of other ministers, this being particularly true 
of the Mather family. 

The meeting-houses were usually hot in summer and freezing cold 
in winter. The service began early in the morning and often lasted 
the greater part of the day; and it was necessary, therefore, that the 
worshippers provide themselves with foot-stoves. The First Church 
of Roxbury was destroyed by fire in 1747 owing to the fact that one 
of these stoves was left behind. The Old South Church not long 
afterwards passed a vote to prevent a similar occurrence. This vote 
reads, "Whereas danger is apprehended from the stoves that are fre- 
quently left in the meeting-house after the publique worship is over; 
Voted, that the sexton make diligent search on the Lord's Day evening 
. . . after a lecture, to see if any stoves are left in the house, and that 
if he find any there he take them to his own house; and it is expected 
that the owners of such stoves make reasonable satisfaction to the 
sexton for his trouble before they take them away." Women often 

6 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

took hot potatoes in their muffs, and men sometimes brought their 
dogs to church to serve as foot-warmers, for which a charge of six- 
pence per dog was levied. The First Church was the first one in Bos- 
ton to use a stove, although the meeting-house in Hadley holds the 
record of being the first in Massachusetts to adopt this innovation. 
When the Old South, in 1783, installed this luxury, the Evening Post 
bewailed the new custom as follows: — 

"Extinct the sacred fire of love, 
Our zeal grown cold and dead, 
In the house of God we fix a stove 
To warm us in their stead." 

New England congregations became divided into stove and anti- 
stove factions. An amusing story is told about the wife of an anti- 
stove parson who was so unaccustomed to the heat that when the 
deacon referred in his sermon to "heaping coals of fire" she fainted. 
Upon reviving she declared that her condition was due entirely to 
the heat in the stove. It was pointed out, to her further discom- 
fiture, that there had been no fire on this occasion. 

Funerals were regarded as festivals and were considered of far 
greater importance than weddings. Many people attended, even 
little children, who often also acted as pall-bearers at the funerals of 
their young friends. The body was often borne in a chaise but 
usually on a farm wagon or by a group of bearers. The chief expense 
of a funeral was gloves, a pair of which was sent as an invitation to 
attend the ceremony. In some cases as many as one thousand pairs 
were given away, and often a man would name in his will the quality 
and cost of the gloves he requested be provided for his funeral. Often 
pall-bearers were given better gloves than the others who attended 
the services. One man sold his collection of three thousand funeral 
gloves for $640. Rings were also given to relatives and certain promi- 
nent people, and large were the collections of these rings that were 
made by some of the most popular and distinguished people of the 
community. These rings were usually made of gold with black 
enamel and often bore a coffin, skeleton, skull or urn on them; 
some were inscribed with mottoes such as "Death parts United 
Hearts" or "Prepared be to follow me," or other equally cheerful 
suggestions. The Essex Institute in Salem has an interesting col- 
lection of these mourning rings. The Puritans usually drank wine 
at funerals, taking quite literally the remark "Give strong drink unto 
him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy 
hearts." It was often said that the temperance idea had "done 
for funerals," at least as festivals. Regular invitations to funerals 
were sent out: invitations to other events usually went on the 
back of playing cards. At a meeting held in Faneuil Hall in 1767 
the following resolution was passed: "And we further agree strictly 
to adhere to the late regulations respecting funerals and will not use 
any gloves but what are manufactured here, nor procure any new 
garments upon such occasions but what shall be absolutely necessary." 




From a print. Collection of Boslonian Society. 

THE CASTLE. 
The most ancient military post in the United States continuously occupied for defence. 




From a print. Collection of Bostonian Society. 

A SHIP OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY. 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

The use of wine and rum was also referred to. Salem passed a 
regulation that the tolling of the bell should cost no more than eight- 
pence and that "the sextons are desired to toll the bells but four 
strokes in a minute." There was also a rule that undertakers could 
charge no more than eight shillings for borrowed chairs. Sir Walter 
Scott said that his father enjoyed a funeral. The New Englanders, 
who met so seldom and who led such quiet lives, undoubtedly like- 
wise enjoyed this ceremony and looked forward to getting a ring. 

THE ISLANDS OF BOSTON HARBOUR 

The islands of our harbour presented a very different appearance 
in the early days of the Colony. Most of them at some time were 
owned and inhabited by one or more families as residences. Grad- 
ually their woods were cut down and hauled into the nearby towns 
for firewood, and in the course of time most of them were bought by 
the City, the State, or the United States Government. Governor's 
or Winthrop Island, which was granted to Governor Winthrop in 
1632 by the Colonial Legislature, was undoubtedly one of the most 
attractive of all, chiefly owing to its woods and wonderful orchard 
of pear, plum and apple trees. It was agreed that the purchaser 
should here plant a vineyard and an orchard, and that the purchaser 
or his heirs for twenty-one years should pay to the Government yearly 
one-fifth of all the fruits and profits; and the name of his new pos- 
session was to be called "Governor's Garden." Later the terms 
were changed to "one hogshead of the best wine that grows there," 
to be paid after the death of John Winthrop. In 1640 the vine- 
yard failed, and the yearly amount was changed to two bushels of 
apples, one for the Governor and the other for the General Court, 
the members of which could be seen going home with their pockets 
full of the fruit. The island continued in the possession of the family 
until 1808, when part of it was sold to the Government as a site for 
Fort Warren. The name of this fort was later transferred to another 
fort on George's Island, and the old fort renamed for Governor Win- 
throp. During the witchcraft delusion "Governor's Garden" was 
believed to be an isle of demons. During the War of 18 12 the Bos- 
tonians were asked to go down there with spades, pickaxes and 
wheelbarrows to aid in improving the defences of the fort. The 
Winthrops were celebrated for their hospitality and entertained a 
great deal at their island home. Among those who made use of these 
attractive grounds were the members of the Massachusetts Historical 
Society. The island is to-day owned by the United States, but is 
under the care of the Boston Park Commissioners. 

Another well-defended fortress was on Castle Island, which was 
the most ancient military post in the United States continuously 
occupied for defence, the flag of Saint George, the Pine-Tree Flag, 
the white flag of Massachusetts, and the Stars and Stripes all having 
been flown over its ramparts. This fortress was erected in 1634 by 
Governor Winthrop and his councillors, who decided that from this 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

island only could the "First Church" be properly protected. The 
fort was destroyed by fire in 1673, being built mostly of tree stumps, 
and the following year the whole Court went on "one of the earliest 
official junketings in Boston Harbour" to examine it. In 1791, 
for the first time, a British frigate saluted the American flag flying 
over the Castle. In 1798 Massachusetts ceded the island to the United 
States and nine years later it was christened Fort Independence. 
Some Massachusetts volunteers are buried here, and one of the old 

epitaphs, now lost, reads: "Here lies the body of John , aged 

50, a faithful soldier and a desperate good Gardener." Once when 
three ships came in from England, a gunner tried to fire a shot across 
the bows of one of them to bring her to, but the gun was so badly 
aimed that the shot killed a passenger. An inquiry brought out 
the report that he "met his death by Providence of God." During 
the civil war in England two rival British ships met in the harbour 
opposite the Castle, which resulted in the ridiculous law being passed 
"not to permit any more ships to fight in the harbour without license 
from authority." After the Boston Massacre the British soldiers 
were sent to the Castle, which caused to be written the following 
piece of poetry: — 

"Our fleet and our army, they soon will arrive, 
Then to a bleak island you shall not us drive, 
In every house you shall have three or four 
And if that will not please you, you shall have half a score." 

From here also the guns announced the return of William Pepperell 
after the capture of Louisburg, and from its fortress the Royal Gover- 
nors were saluted on their arrival; and to this island Governor Andrew 
withdrew. Also the fort was used as a prison until Charlestown 
jail was built. The island is now owned by the United States, but 
is cared for by the Park Commission. 

Another Government island is George's, or Pemberton, Island, 
upon which Fort Warren now stands. The fort was built of Quincy 
and Cape Ann granite, and was supposed to be at one time the key 
to the harbour. The island was named after Captain George, a promi- 
nent citizen of Boston. Within the walls of the fort many Massa- 
chusetts recruits were drilled for the Civil War, and many prisoners, 
including the English emissaries, Mason and Slidell, were here im- 
prisoned. It was the chief point of defence in our harbour until the 
Spanish War, and has played an important part in our Nation's his- 
tory. The first earthworks were erected in 1778 in order to protect 
Count d'Estaing's fleet from the British, when the French ships were 
in the harbour. It may be interesting also to mention that the famous 
song "John Brown's Body Lies a-Mouldering in the Grave" was 
composed and first sung at Fort Warren by the glee club of the Second 
Battalion Light Infantry in 1861. 

When Miles Standish explored the harbour in 162 1 he anchored off 
Thompson's Island, visited Squantum and made a treaty with the 
Indians. A few years later David Thompson, who came from Plym- 

10 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



Swamps'cott ~ 7uf50' 

MAP OF THE 

ISLANDS OF 
BOSTON HARBOR 

SCALE OF MILES 




Boston L.S,° 
42-20 



outh, in Devon, England, landed here and took up his residence. 
He died several years later and his son leased it. In 1644 Massachu- 
setts, without having the right really to do so, granted the island to 
Dorchester. The lease was for £20 a year, and the income was to be 
used to pay the salary of a schoolmaster for the town. It has been 
asserted that this was the first money ever raised by taxes for such a 
purpose. The Thompson family returned, claimed the island, and quite 
properly had it restored to them by the Court. In 1834 the Boston 
Farm School Association purchased it and annexed it to Boston, at 
the same time granting to the people of Dorchester the right to dig 
clams there. Here later on the Farm School was established. A 
grove of trees was planted in 1840 by the Rev. Theodore Lyman. 
Just after the Revolution George Minot purchased part of Thompson's 
Island with the funds that were given him by the Government for 
powder that he had smuggled through the British lines to his many 
friends. The island is owned to-day by the City of Boston. 

Long Island was so called because it is the longest island in the 
harbour. In 1847 a company bought all of it except the east end 
upon which was the lighthouse, and then built a wharf and a hotel and 



11 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

laid out streets. The speculation ended in failure. The island is 
chiefly noted as the residence of John Nelson, who is looked upon 
as a hero by the American people. He was captured by the French 
in a voyage to the eastward and imprisoned in Quebec. While 
there he informed Massachusetts that the French were forming plans 
against the New England Colonies, and for this he was sent to the 
Bastille. He was finally released, and on his return to Long Island 
the Nelson family gave him a great feast of welcome, and part of the 
table-cloth is believed still to be preserved by his descendants. The 
British pastured cattle here at one time, and a detachment of five 
hundred Continental soldiers, in sixty-five whale-boats, landed and 
stole them all, escaping safely to Squantum. Not many years ago 
a large assemblage of prize-fighters and their "heelers" went over 
to the island with the intention of conducting a fight, but were pre- 
vented from doing so by some police officers who arrived in a police 
boat at just the right time. The island is owned partly by the Gov- 
ernment and partly by the City. 

LovelPs Island, which is six miles or so down the harbour, has wit- 
nessed many shipwrecks, chief of which was the French battleship 
"Magnifique," which missed stays and ran on the rocks, where she 
lay for many years. The Boston pilot in charge of her at the time 
became sexton of the New North Church, and when he went down 
to the parish one morning he found that some boys had chalked the 
following on the meeting-house door: — 

" Don't you run this ship ashore 
As you did the seventy-four" (74 guns). 

Souvenir hunters have dug up many of the timbers of this vessel, but 
no treasures. Congress gave to France the "America" to compen- 
sate her for the loss. The island was named after Captain Lovell of 
Dorchester, was occupied at one time by Hull, and now is the prop- 
erty of the United States, being used as a buoy station. 

Nix's Mate has always been connected with traditions and to us 
is the most mysterious of all the islands, owing to the fact that its 
twelve acres of pasture land have been entirely washed away except 
for the beacon which was erected by the Boston Marine Society as 
a warning to mariners. The most popular tradition is that Captain 
Nix was killed at sea and his mate suffered death here for the murder. 
The mate protested his innocence and predicted that the whole 
island would be destroyed to prove his guiltlessness. The first owner 
of the island was John Gallop. It has a weird history, for with Bird 
Island it was used as a place for the execution and burial of pirates, 
and often their bodies, after execution elsewhere, were hung on Nix's 
Mate in order to warn other sea-rovers as they entered or left the 
harbour. The pirate William Fly was the most noted of all the bucca- 
neers executed here; his bones hung and blew back and forth on 
the gibbet for many months. It is a curious coincidence that Nix's 
Mate and Bird Island, upon both of which executions took place, 
practically no longer exist. 

12 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

Deer Island was so called because deer often swam over from the 
mainland when chased by the wolves from Boston Neck. It was 
granted to Boston in 1634, and its use is too well known to require 
any description. It was leased at one time to Sir Thomas Temple, 
who was a descendant of Lady Godiva of Coventry fame, a rather 
curious relation to history for one of our islands to bear. During 
King Philip's War Massachusetts confined many Christian Indians 
in this bleak spot, and John Eliot often visited and comforted them. 
It is owned by Boston, the State of Massachusetts, and the United 
States Government. 

Apple Island has furnished excellent pasturage for sheep and 
cattle. It was owned in 1723 by the Hon. Thomas Hutchinson, father 
of Governor Hutchinson. It finally came into the possession of a 
Mr. Marsh, who lived here peacefully with his family. His grave is 
on the western slope. The City finally purchased it in 1867. Here 
many old ships have been dismantled and burned, and it is popu- 
larly believed that the island is infested with rats that came ashore 
from the burning vessels. 

Breed's Island, formerly known as Hog Island and owned at one 
time by Judge Sewall, was bought in 1800 by a wealthy resident of 
Charlestown, Massachusetts, named John Breed, who tried here to 
bury his grief for the death of his bride. 

Spectacle Island is so called because at low tide it resembles a pair 
of spectacles. It was bought by Samuel Bill from an Indian Chief, and 
later it was bought by the Town of Boston. A hospital was built 
here which later was transferred to Rainsford Island where it still is. 
The "Sheerness," which took away Phillips to safety after his duel 
with Woodbridge, lay off this island when he came on board. It 
was bought not many years ago by Nathan Ward, and some one 
wrote, "The island has been put to a new business, which speaks for 
itself if one happens to the leeward of it," adding that "it has ceased 
to be a place of resort." The first mention of Spectacle Island was 
in 1634 when "together with Deer Island, Hog Island and Long 
Island, it was granted to the Town of Boston, for the yearly rent of 
4 shillings," or one shilling apiece. 

Edward Raynsford, the first elder of the Old South Church, was 
the first white resident of Rainsford Island. The city bought it in 
1737 for a hospital, and in 1858 the State bought it for a home for 
paupers. Boston bought it back a few years later, and established 
on it an almshouse. Until 1852 it was used as a quarantine. 

Noddle's Island, now part of East Boston, was first settled by 
William Noddle in 1629, before Boston was founded, the first impor- 
tant settler being Samuel Maverick. When the Puritans arrived 
they allowed him to remain upon payment of a "fat wether, a fat 
hog or forty shillings." During the siege of Boston the island became 
a refuge for twenty young women. One of them was frequently 
called upon by William Tudor, a General of the American Army, who 
swam over with his clothes tied in a bundle on his head, dressed, 
made his call and then returned in the same manner. His energy 

13 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

was rewarded by a successful ending to his love-making. The Battle 
of Chelsea Creek was fought between Noddle's Island and Winni- 
simmet, or Chelsea. It was the second battle of the Revolution in 
this vicinity and the first one in which American artillery was used. 
Fort Strong is situated here. Donald McKay built many fine ships 
here, such as the "Flying Cloud," "Sovereign of the Seas" and the 
"Great Republic." It was "layed to Boston" in 1636. A part of it 
is now owned by the East Boston Company. 

Peddock's Island is chiefly known to us as the scene of the capture 
of some French sailors by the English in the early days of the Colonies. 
It is owned to-day by Governor Andrew's Estate and controlled by 
the Town of Hull. Gallop's Island is owned by the City of Boston 
and will probably be purchased during the year by the United States 
Government. 

Bumpkin Island, near Hingham, is owned by Harvard College and 
leased to the Burrage Hospital. 

Calf Island is the property of B. P. Cheney. 

Great Brewster is owned by the City and is under the jurisdiction 
of the Town of Hull. 

Green Island is owned by Melvin O. Adams and James Young. 

Little Brewster is owned by the United States and is occupied by 
Boston Light. 

Middle Brewster is owned by Melvin 0. Adams, R. S. Whitney and 
B. P. Cheney. 

Outer Brewster is the property of Benjamin Dean. 

THE HARVARD COLLEGE FERRY 
Settlements were hardly established at Boston and Charlestown be- 
fore it became evident that a ferry across the Charles River would be 
a great convenience. Probably before any action was taken by the 
•Colonial Government, private individuals had engaged in ferrying 
passengers across the Charles; but the first public act in reference 
thereto was on November 9, 1630, at a meeting of the Court of Assist- 
ants held at Boston, shortly after Governor Winthrop and his party 
reached Charlestown. At this meeting were the Governor and Deputy 
•Governor of the Colony, with Mr. Coddington, Sir Richard Saltonstall 
.and others; and it was ordered, "That whoesoeuer shall first giue 
in his name to Mr. Gounr that hee will vndertake to sett vpp a fferry 
betwixte Boston and Charlton, & shall begin the same att such tyme 
as Mr. Gounr shall appoynt, shall haue 1° for euy pson, & i d for euy 
100 waight of goods hee shall soe transport." 

Thus was launched the Boston-Charlestown ferry, or, as it was 
known at the time, "the great ferry," perhaps the first enterprise 
undertaken by the infant colony. Edward Converse was the first 
man to take advantage of the act. At first the ferry could not have 
been a very lucrative proposition, for on June 14, 163 1, it was ordered 
that Mr. Converse should receive twopence for every single person, and 
•one penny apiece if there were two or more persons to be ferried. 

14 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

On November 9, 1636, the ferry was leased to Mr. Converse for three 
years, at £40 a year, on condition that he should see that the ferry 
was efficiently run and equipped with the proper number of boats, 
and that he should build a convenient house on the Boston side of the 
river and keep a boat there when it was needed. Besides the fees 
for persons mentioned above he was allowed to charge sixpence for 
every pig ferried across. "And if any shall desire to pass before it 
be light in the morning, or after it is dark in the evening, he may take 
recompense answerable to the season and his pains and hazard, so as 
it be not excessive." 

In 1640 the General Court ordered that the ferry privilege between 
Boston and Charlestown be granted to Harvard College for the 
financial benefit of the institution. In 1639 £50 had been received 
from the ferry, and it was expected that this sum would increase 
yearly with the growth of population. For one hundred and forty-five 
years Harvard received the ferry tolls, which were no mean help in 
those days of the college's struggling infancy. 

The ferrymen evidently had their troubles, for in 1648 James 
Heyden and Francis Hudson, who then had charge of the ferry, 
complained to the General Court that the ferry was very unproductive, 
that disorderly persons would force their way into the boats and re- 
fuse to pay their fares, and that the payment tendered was "usually 
in such refuse, unwrought, broken, unstringed, and unmerchantable 
peag" — meaning wampum, or Indian money — at six a penny, that 
they lost twopence on the shilling, as they had to take peag at six a 
penny and pay it at seven. The General Court acted favorably on 
this petition August 10, 1648, giving the ferrymen the right to collect 
their tolls before ferrying and to refuse poor peag, while persons 
allowed free passage by order of the Court were to show credentials 
or pay. 

President Henry Dunster of Harvard petitioned in 1650 that the 
College be given the right to dispose of the ferry by lease or other- 
wise, and this was granted. 

Oars were probably the sole means of propulsion, the channel 
being narrow and the current strong. In winter, when the ferry 
could not run, no doubt the thick ice made a convenient bridge between 
the shores for at least part of the season. At first the ferry served 
only foot-passengers, but later larger boats were put into service and 
chaises were ferried across. The ferrymen collected double tolls on 
certain days, evidently not to the liking of the townspeople; for in 
1783 the town refused to sanction the ferrymen unless they agreed 
not to charge these extra tolls. 

The ferry played a worthy part in the early history of Massa- 
chusetts. In May, 1632, it carried across the Charles to Boston a 
throng of men to aid in fortifying Corne Hill, later Fort Hill, and 
when the colonial rebellion against Andros broke out in 1689 hun- 
dreds of stanch colonial militia were ferried across on April 18 to help 
their brothers in Boston overpower the tyrant governor. The re- 
bellion was successful and Andros was thrown in prison, but the 

15 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

limitations of the ferry kept some fifteen hundred eager men fuming 
on the Charlestown side, unable to share in the good work. 

When Paul Revere made his famous ride on April 18, 1775, he could 
not use the ferry to get to Charlestown, because while the English 
fleet lay in Boston Harbour the ferry-boats were moored alongside 
the ships-of-war at nine o'clock every night, in order to prevent possible 
foes of the English from crossing under cover of darkness. Revere 
got around this by hiring two men to row him across in his own boat, 
which he kept at the North End, "a little to the eastward where the 
'Somerset' man-of-war lay," and landed safely at Charlestown below 
the ferry. 

As the population of Boston and Charlestown increased, it became 
evident that a bridge must be built in place of the ferry, and when 
Thomas Russell and others petitioned the General Court in 1785 for 
the right to build a bridge over the Charles River between Boston 
and Charlestown "where an ancient ferry had been established," the 
petition was granted by an act passed March 9, 1785, and John 
Hancock, Thomas Russell, et al., were incorporated as proprietors of 
Charles River Bridge. 

The grant provided for the annual payment to Harvard College 
by the grantees of £200 for forty years, the bridge to become the prop- 
erty of the State at the end of that time, "saving to the said College a 
reasonable and annual compensation for the annual income of the ferry, 
which they might have received, had not said bridge been erected." 

Thus, after one hundred and fifty-five years of useful service, did the 
old Charlestown ferry pass out of existence. The wonder is that 
the people of Boston and Charlestown put up with such a primitive 
arrangement for so long, affording as it did for a century and a 
half their only means of communication except by making the long 
roundabout journey through Roxbury and Cambridge. Apparently 
the efficient management of the ferry must have made up for some, 
at least, of its limitations, for in 1741 Oldmixon's "History of the 
British Empire in America" states that between Boston and Charles- 
town "there is a ferry so well tended that a bridge would not be 
much more convenient, except in winter." 

FIRST MUSTER OF MILITIA, JUNE, 1638 

THE FIRST PARADE OF THE OLDEST MILITARY 

ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA 

The "Military Company of Massachusetts" was organized on the 
first day of June, 1638. An earthquake shook Boston that after- 
noon, and Winthrop adds in his Journal: "It came with a great noise 
like a continued thunder or the rattling of coaches in London, but 
was presently gone. ... It shook the ships, which rode in the harbour, 
and all the islands. The noise of the shakings continued four minutes." 

The company, afterwards known as the "Ancient and Honorable 
Artillery Company of Massachusetts," and now the oldest military 
organization in America, may have assembled in the market-place, 

16 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

where tradition says their colors were set early in the morning. They 
were probably in motley array, though, as time passed, they assumed 
a certain uniformity of dress and weapons. After much debate 
a charter had been granted by Governor Winthrop to the members 
of this new company which had been chosen from the volunteer 
militia, nearly as old in Boston history as the church and the governor. 
Among the officers were: Robert Keayne, captain; Daniel Howe, 
lieutenant; Joseph Weld, ensign; John Oliver and Joshua Hewes, 
sergeants; John Johnson, clerk; and Arthur Perry, drummer. After 
roll-call and prayer the company marched to the First Church on 
King Street, where with solemn tread and much creaking of boots 
and clang of arms they entered the pew r s. There is a tradition that 
the sermon in honor of the first muster of an organized company was 
preached by Captain Robert Keayne's brother-in-law, the Rev. 
John Wilson, clad in black gown with white bands and wearing a 
white wig. He preached a long sermon behind the hour-glass which 
monotonously dropped its sands before the eyes of the company. 
An authority claims it is altogether probable that after the sermon 
the company marched to one of the Boston taverns — possibly Cole's 
Tavern, the first in town — where dinner was served, and that after- 
wards they marched up School House Lane to the training-ground 
or Common. Governor John Winthrop, who in the face of much 
opposition granted a charter to the company, was present, and was 
later escorted home by the company. On the day of organization, 
officers were elected who afterward treated the company "to punch, 
made of old West India and New England rum, Havana sugar, and 
'lemons or limes for souring.'" 

The captain's duties were laid down in the "Book of Discipline," 
which called for him "to be a good posture man himself, that when 
he sees any of his souldiers handling their arms in an indecent and 
slovenly manner, he may better reprove them for the same. And 
although many Captains regardeth them not, but leaveth them to be 
instructed by the inferiour officers; yet it is a great deal of honour 
to him, when his souldiers shall be taught by himself, they more 
cheerfully and confidently marching along with him, when as they 
perceive that he is thoroughly knowing in all things belonging to his 
charge. His place of marching with his company, is some six foot 
before the first division of muskettiers; but if his company be drawn 
up, he is either upon a stand, or upon the march, to be on the head 
of the Pikes, six foot before the Ensign." 

FIRST NEW ENGLAND COINAGE 

"After a little keeping in scoole, I was taken to help my father plant corne, 
which I attended for seven yeares together. I then fell to learning by the 
help of my brother, and to practising the trade of goldsmith, and was able to 
get my living by it." — John Hull, in his Diary. 

When Hannah Hull's father, on her marriage to Samuel Sewall, 
placed his daughter, as tradition says, in one of the scales and heaped 

*7 




SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




i 



From an original. Collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

THE PINE TREE SHILLING, 1652. 

Enlarged two and one-half times. 

in the other silver New England shillings until the scales balanced, 
the wedding present amounted to £3,000, — only a portion of the 
wealth that John Hull gathered besides his "living" as master of the 
first mint in New England. 

Owing to the increase in trade in the Colony and to uncertainties 
in England, Massachusetts in 1652, for the purpose of preventing 
fraudulent money, erected "a mint for coining shillings, sixpences 
and three-pences." The General Court, accordingly, authorized 
John Hull "a silversmith" and Robert Sanderson, for "melting, 
refyning, and coining of silver." Massachusetts was the only colony 
that coined money, and the first pieces had the initials of New England 
on one side and Roman numerals denoting the value on the other. 
Afterwards it was ordered by the General Court that all moneys should 
have the following inscription: "Massachusetts, and a tree in the centre 
on one side, and New England and the year of our Lord on the other 
side." The mint-house was located on Mr. Hull's estate; it was 
not a pretentious building, the order for it calling for a wooden edifice, 
sixteen feet square and ten feet high. It was the subject of common 
remark in its day: "Twelve pence laid out on the purse and only six 
pence in it." It is related that not long after the starting of the mint 
Charles II in great wrath questioned Sir Thomas Temple, the first 
agent officially despatched by the General Court to London, as to 
why this Colony presumed to invade His Majesty's rights by coining 
money. Virtually, Sir Thomas said: "The colonists have but little 
acquaintance with the law. They are simple folk, meaning no ill, 
and they thought it no crime to make money for their own use." 
Sir Thomas took a "pine-tree" shilling from his pocket. 

"See, your Majesty, here is the coin." 

On one side of the piece had been struck a tree which, though there 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

is no record of its identity at the time, has later been called a pine- 
tree. It may, however, have been any New England bush. 

"What is that tree — what does it mean?" said King Charles, 
frowning. 

"That, your Majesty," said Sir Thomas, "is a royal oak. Your 
colonists, not daring to put your Majesty's name on the coin, have 
struck thereon the emblem of the oak, which preserved your Majesty's 
life." 

"They are a parcel of honest dogs," cried Charles, at once restored 
to good-humor. 

How the coins came to be known as pine-tree shillings cannot be 
definitely traced. The official records speak of the drawing as a 
"tree," the pine-tree itself not appearing officially until it was im- 
pressed on the seal of the General Court, where a pine-tree appears 
on each side of the Indian. 

The date — 1652 — for thirty years remained unchanged. John 
Hull's share in the profits of the mint was fifteen pence out of every 
twenty shillings. He rapidly amassed a fortune, and the General 
Court, possibly discovering this, sought to be released from the con- 
tract; but John Hull refused, and continued for some years to add to 
his coffers, even after giving his daughter Hannah £3,000 for a wed- 
ding dowry. 

The "pine-tree" shillings circulated up to the time of the Revolu- 
tion, and after that they were collected or preserved in museums. 
With the exception of Maryland, where Lord Baltimore struck off a 
few silver coins, Massachusetts is the only one of the thirteen colonies 
that had a mint before the Revolution. 

Hull Street in Boston, which was laid out through John Hull's 
pasture, is named for him and was given to the city by Judge Sewall 
and his wife, Hannah, of pine-tree-shilling fame, on condition that it 
should always be called by the mint-master's name. 

THE BURNING OF MEDFIELD, FORMERLY A PART OF 

DEDHAM 

The many battles with King Philip's Indians in the outlying villages 
and towns were of vital importance to Boston, and every event was 
at once heralded there. It was customary to announce the arrival 
of Indians by firing off the heaviest gun in the village, and to rely 
upon each successive garrison on the way towards Boston to pass on 
the alarm. Soon after the start of King Philip's War the only town 
between Medfield and the country of the Indians was Mendon, and 
it was not long before this town was also attacked. Previously to 
this, however, a false alarm of hostile designs against Mendon had been 
given to the citizens of Boston, and twelve hundred men were quickly 
assembled under arms. They were soon dismissed because it was 
discovered that "one who was upon guard there . . . got drunk and 
fired his gun, the noise of which alarmed the next neighbors and so 
spread to Boston." 

19 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



ft 




From a photograph 



PEAK HOUSE, MEDFIELD. 

One of the most curious of our Massachusetts houses. 



Taken for the book. 



The situation soon began to look so serious that on December 9, 
1675, a Massachusetts force was mustered on Dedham Plain and 
advanced to North Kingston in Rhode Island. The white men 
charged a stockade nearby. To do this they had to cross, by means 
of a single log, a ditch that surrounded the fortress, and which was 
swept by the enemy's fire. There was a race to see who would be the 
first to get across. This attack was a failure. A friendly Indian showed 
the white people a secret passage into the stockade, and many of the 
Indians were finally killed. The cold was so intense that the Mas- 
sachusetts troops were soon obliged to return. Lancaster was at- 
tacked on February 10, and the inhabitants of Medfield then became 
thoroughly alarmed. They wrote to Governor Leverett for assist- 
ance, and he sent a company of eighty men as further protection. 
The Indians assaulted Medfield on February 21, 1676, killed many 
of the inhabitants and burned half of the houses in the village. 
King Philip was described as riding upon a black horse, leaping back 
and forth over fences, thoroughly enjoying the havoc he was making. 
It is believed that he caused to be written a paper threatening to 
repeat his visit every year for twenty years. The Great Gun, as it 
was called, was fired as a signal to the town of Dedham that the red- 



20 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

men had begun their deadly work, and on the second report the 
Indians became frightened and fled, retiring to a hill nearby, where 
they roasted an ox and held a savage feast. Medfield was allowed 
by the State £87 ioj. for the loss sustained. 

The old "Peak" house shown is popularly believed to have been 
the only house which was not burned at the time of the massacre, 
but this is not so. It was originally built in 1651 and was burned 
during the attack. The present house was built by Seth Clark, who 
was the owner of the original house at the time it was burned. It is 
an exact reproduction of the former one and is one of the most curious 
in shape of any in New England. The house came into the possession 
of Daniel Adams, and he sold it to Michael Callahan, who in turn 
sold it to the present owner, Fred M. Smith. It is the oldest house 
in Medfield, and some of the original panes of glass in the windows, 
which were imported from England, are still to be seen. 

Medfield was originally part of Dedham and was purchased on 
November 14, 1649 from Dedham for £50 which was "to be divided 
among such of the inhabitants of Dedham as did not move to the 
village." Ralph Wheelock was the prime mover in starting this new 
town and has been called "the founder of Medfield." Dedham 
also originally included Norwood, Walpole, Wrentham, Franklin, 
Bellingham, Needham, Dover and a part of Natick and Hyde Park. 

CAPTAIN WADSWORTH OF MILTON ATTACKS THE 
INDIANS AT SUDBURY 

About four hundred of King Philip's warriors fell upon the little 
village of Marlborough in the year 1676. The news soon reached 
Boston, and Captain Samuel Wadsworth, a resident of Milton, was 
sent with a company of fifty soldiers to the relief of the town. His 
force joined that of Captain Brocklebank of Marlborough, consisting 
of about twenty more men, and following the Indians to South 
Sudbury they soon came upon some of them. The savages retired 
slowly through the woods, until they had led Wadsworth's men so 
far in that they were able completely to surround his company. 
War-whoops and shot came from every tree, and there was no possible 
chance of retreat as there were over five hundred Indians in the 
band. With great bravery the whites defended themselves until 
nightfall. The Indians then set fire to the woods, and the smoke 
compelled the surrounded soldiers to retire from their position. It 
was now determined to force a way through, but in trying to do this 
all the white men were killed or taken prisoners, and those who were 
captured suffered the most frightful tortures. It is doubtful if any 
escaped, though some historians believe that a few cut their way to 
safety. Captain Wadsworth fell and with twenty-eight of his men 
was buried in a large grave near the place where the fight took place. 
The Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth, a son of the gallant Captain and 
once the president of Harvard College, erected in 1790 a monument 
over this grave, and some years later the Commonwealth of Massa- 

21 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a photograph. 



Taken for the book. 



MONUMENT IN SOUTH SUDBURY, MASS. 



Erected to commemorate the gallant attack on the Indians by Captain Samuel Wads- 
worth of Milton and others, who were killed during the fight. The inscription on the monu- 
ment reads as follows: "This monument is erected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
and by the Town of Sudbury in grateful remembrance of the service and sufferings of the 
founders of the State and especially in honor of Captain S. Wadsworth of Milton, Captain 
Brocklebank of Roxbury and Lieut. Sharp of Brookline and twenty-eight others, men of 
their command, who fell near this spot on the 18th of April [an error for 2 1st of April] 1676, 
while defending the frontier settlements against the allied Indian forces of Philip of 
Pokanoket. l8=;2." 



chusetts and the town of Sudbury united in erecting another monu- 
ment, at the base of which is the old tablet that marked the earlier 
grave. The Indians lost heavily but were nevertheless so elated by 
this victory that they sent word to the authorities in Boston to pro- 
vide plenty of food as they intended to "dine with them on election 
day." This disaster was keenly felt in Boston and especially in Mil- 
ton, as Captain Wadsworth was one of the town's most influential citi- 
zens, having served at one time with Robert Babcock as a Committee 
of Militia for the town. He moved to Milton from Sudbury in 1656 
and married the daughter of Robert Vose. His house stood on Wads- 
worth Hill, and at that time it was over a mile from any other house. 
King Philip's power soon began to wane, his end coming in August 
of this same year by the hand of one of his own men. His head was 
exhibited on a gibbet for twenty years. His helmet and the barrel of 
the gun that killed him are displayed in Pilgrim Hall at Plymouth. 

22 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

GOVERNOR PHIPS AND HIS SUNKEN TREASURE 

It does not often fall to the lot of one individual to discover a 
valuable sunken treasure-ship and then to be elected Governor of a 
State. Such was the history, however, of William Phips. He was 
born on Phips Point, near Wiscasset, Maine, and being apprenticed 
to a ship-builder of his native town he learned much about ships and 
the sea. He moved to Boston in the early part of his life and soon 
married. He was very poor, but had a determination to accumulate 
money. In the taverns of Boston he heard of sunken galleons and 
conceived the idea of getting his heart's desire, which was "A brick 
house in the Green Lane of North Boston," now Salem Street. It 
was not many years before he did actually own one. 

Setting sail in 1681 for the West Indies he cruised around on his 
wild search, falling in with many pirates, including Morgan, the most 
bloodthirsty buccaneer of them all. He managed to discover a small 
treasure and went to England to finance an expedition to procure the 
rest of it. For two years he tried to persuade King Charles II to 
join him, and finally succeeded. The King loaned him the frigate 
"Rose" which belonged to the Navy, having been captured from some 
corsairs. In 1683 he sailed to Boston, where he found that the 
owners of another ship had gotten wind of his treasure, and so he 
had to allow them to join him. Both ships sailed for the West Indies, 
but found no treasure: as often happens, it had vanished. Nothing 
daunted, however, he continued his search near Hayti and San 
Domingo, where he found an old Spaniard who told him where he 
knew lay some treasures. Again he sailed to England in order to 
ship a new crew, his sailors having mutinied. He found that King 
Charles had died, but he was able to induce King James II to interest 
himself in the new venture. A syndicate was organized, and Phips, 
as "an authorized treasure seeker," sailed in the "James & Mary" 
in 1686 for Port de la Plata. One of his crew noticed a large marine 
plant in the water and on diving for it discovered a cannon. On 
the second plunge he brought up a lump of silver which he put before 
Phips's place at the dinner-table that night. The surprise and delight 
of the treasure-hunter can easily be imagined. Thirty-two tons of 
silver as well as gold, pearls and jewels were brought to the surface. 
The supply of provisions unfortunately got so low that it was thought 
best to return to England. On the way the seamen, though hired 
by the month, struck for their share, and Phips was obliged to accede 
to their demands. Up the Thames sailed this extraordinary expedi- 
tion with the equivalent of $1,500,000 on board. The commander 
was most honest and only took exactly the amount to which he was 
entitled, which was one-sixteenth or about £16,000. For his dis- 
covery the King knighted him in Windsor Castle. Another visit 
was made to the wreck, but all the rest of the valuables had been taken 
away in the mean time. 

King James offered Phips a place in the Navy, but his heart yearned 
for New England, whither he returned and built his brick house 

23 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

on Green Street. He was appointed the first Royal Governor, took 
part in the Quebec expedition, and did much to suppress witchcraft, 
but he endeavored to rule the lower officials of the Colony in much the 
same way that a pirate commands his crew. He got into many 
quarrels, returned to England, and there died. 

JOHN QUELCH, THE PIRATE, AND HIS EXECUTION IN 

BOSTON 

The privateer "Charles" owned by merchants of Boston lay in 
Marblehead Harbour with her commanding officer, Captain David 
Plowman, too ill to venture to put to sea. He sent word to the 
owners that he could not trust his crew and suggested that they 
come on board and consult as to future plans, but before they could 
get to the ship, the crew mutinied, with John Quelch at the head, 
took command of the vessel, and turned her prow toward the track 
of the Spanish trade. Quelch threw Captain Plowman overboard 
when he was well out to sea and hoisted a pirate's flag with the 
figure of a skeleton on it. He and his treacherous crew in a short 
time succeeded in capturing many Portuguese vessels, and with them 
much valuable booty. 

Dudley was Governor of Massachusetts at the time, and he did 
all in his power to discover the "Charles," but failed to find any 
trace of her. Not long afterwards Quelch sailed back to Marblehead 
and reported that Plowman had died at sea, and that he had been 
obliged to take command of the privateer, assuring the authorities 
that his treasures had been collected from the wreck of a Spanish 
galleon. It was thought wise, however, to search the ship, and 
a different story came out. Quelch and those of his crew who had 
not escaped were promptly arrested. Governor Dudley ordered those 
who had reached shore to be captured if possible. Many of them 
were found scattered in different parts of New England. The trial 
was held in the Star Tavern on Hanover Street and was the first 
proceeding under the Pirate law in the Colonies. Quelch and nine- 
teen of his crew were found guilty and sentenced to death. Two, 
however, were let off, one on account of illness and the other because 
of extreme youth. 

There are two copies of a broadside published in Boston which 
portrays the efforts made to save the souls of the condemned men. 
Many sermons were also preached in their presence every day. The 
broadside began as follows: "An account of the Behaviour and Last 
Dying Speeches of the Six Pirates that were Executed on Charles 
River, Boston Side, on Fryday, June 30, 1704." All were pardoned 
except Quelch and five others, nine being impressed into the Navy. 
These six condemned pirates, under a guard of forty musketeers, town 
constables, and two ministers, marched through the streets of the 
town, which were thronged with spectators, it being considered a 
great treat to witness the hanging of so many persons. The last 
part of the way they proceeded by water. The ministers then ad- 

24 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a broadside. 



Collection of the Slate Street Trust Company. 



EXECUTION OF PIRATES ON BOSTON NECK. 



dressed to them a long sermon. As Quelch stepped on the stage, 
he took off his hat and bowed to the spectators, apparently quite un- 
concerned, and advised the onlookers to take care "how they brought 
money into New England, to be hanged for it." He died bravely. 
A Salem writer composed the following lines: — 

"Ye pirates, who against God's laws did fight, 
Have all been taken which is very right. 
Some of them were old, others young 
And on the flats of Boston they were hung." 

Part of the treasure was successfully smuggled away, but there 
was still enough left to afford a large division of spoils among various 
officials of the Colony, even Governor Dudley himself coming in for 
his share. The owner of the Star Tavern "for entertainment of 
the Commissioners during Court proceedings" was generously re- 
membered, as well as the Lieutenant Governor, the sheriff of New 
Hampshire, prisoners' counsel, marshal, constables, queen's counsel, 
prison-keeper and captains of the militia. The amount of the 
booty given to Governor Dudley is not made known. Cotton Mather, 
who had a quarrel with him, asserted that he "extorted the sum of 
30 pounds from some of the crew for liberty to walk at certain times 
in the prison yard." 

2s 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



THE ADVENTURE OF PHILIP ASHTON OF MARBLEHEAD 

Philip Ashton and a number of other Marbleheaders were fishing 
near Cape Sable in June of the year 1722 when a strange-looking 
brigantine was seen to be approaching, which at first was supposed 
to be a West Indiaman. The new-comer anchored near the fishing 
fleet, and in a short time a boat-load of her men approached Ashton's 
vessel, and, suddenly drawing their cutlasses and pistols from be- 
neath their clothing, demanded that the crew of the vessel surrender. 
There was nothing for them to do except to submit to the ruffians, 
who turned out to be no other than the well-known pirate Ned Low 
and his gang of buccaneers. Low presently summoned Ashton to 
come before him and asked him to sign articles of agreement to ship 
with him as one of the band, to which suggestion he received a prompt 
refusal. The pirate then held a pistol to the Marbleheader's temples 
and asked if he were a married man. He and his comrades were so 
frightened that most of them answered that they were single. It 
turned out to be just the wrong thing to say because Low was sup- 
posed never to impress a married man into his service. 

Ashton steadily refused to join the pirate crew and was therefore 
subjected to the most brutal treatment, the vessel in the mean time 
starting off on her long voyage. As the unfortunate man wrote in 
his diary, the pirate ship was "a veritable hell afloat." Many vessels 
were captured and plundered, until Low finally decided to visit Roaton 
Harbour in the Bay of Honduras, in order to get a supply of drinking 
water. This was Ashton's opportunity. He asked to be allowed to 
go ashore and help fill the water-casks, and to his delight his request 
was granted, as the pirates could not believe any one would want to 
run away on such a desolate island. The prisoner at first worked very 
hard, when suddenly he bounded off into the undergrowth and hid as 
best he could from his pursuers. He could hear them yelling to him, 
and he could even distinguish the words of one of them, — "The dog is 
lost in the woods and can't find his way out." Finally they became 
discouraged and left him to his fate, alone on a deserted island, and 
without clothes, food, knife, gun or even means with which to make 
a fire. He lived on grapes, figs and plums, and managed to build for 
himself a rude hut. For nine months he lived without seeing a human 
being until one day an Englishman, who had fled from the Spanish 
settlements in fear of his life, landed on the island. For three days 
Ashton enjoyed the companionship of this stranger, then most un- 
fortunately the new-comer was drowned by the capsizing of his canoe. 
Several months later he found another canoe stranded on the shore, 
which enabled him to make short excursions to the surrounding islands, 
upon one of which he discovered some Spaniards who shot at him. 
Some time after this adventure Ashton saw some canoes approaching, 
and to his delight a party of men, who had been driven by the Span- 
iards from the Bay of Honduras, landed. All lived together very 
peacefully until his old enemies, the pirates, descended upon them. 
Ashton and several of his friends succeeded in escaping, but the rest 

26 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

were captured and taken aboard the same vessel in which he had once 
been a prisoner. Two or three months now passed until one day 
when the castaways went over to the Island of Bonacco and while 
they were here a gale compelled several vessels to stand in towards 
them. One of the ships luckily turned out to be a Salem brigantine, 
and to Ashton's joy he sailed off in her, arriving home on the first of 
May, 1725, after an absence of almost three years. 

THE LAST SLAVE QUARTERS STILL STANDING IN 
MASSACHUSETTS 

The old Royall House in Medford, closely identified with Revo- 
lutionary history, among its many attractions can boast of possessing 
the last visible relic of slavery in this State. Although the house 
itself dates back to 163 1, when it was deeded to Governor Winthrop, 
the building for slaves was not erected until 1732. Isaac Royall 
came into possession of the place at this time, and he found that 
such a building was necessary in order to house his twenty-five faith- 
ful slaves. The exterior of this interesting building has remained 
almost unchanged, and the old "out-kitchen," as it was called, is 
still carefully preserved. The interior is now used by the care- 
taker and for meeting places for societies, while the basement, used 
as a dairy after the year 1800, now contains a steam heating plant 
for the main part of the establishment. 

Isaac Royall, for whom the house is named, gave a tract of land 
to Harvard College, the proceeds of which were used in accordance 
with his will to found the Royall Professorship of Law, now the 
Harvard Law School. The Royall House was once the property of 
Francis Cabot Lowell, who was the founder of cotton manufacture in 
America. 

The part of Medford upon which this house stands originally be- 
longed to Charlestown. A picture of the house is on the following 
page. 

THE CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG 

The capture of Louisburg in 1745 was one of the most extraordinary 
military achievements of the New England Colonies. Louisburg, 
which was situated on the Island of Cape Breton, belonged to the 
French, who, realizing its strategic importance in the event of a possible 
invasion of New England, expended many millions of dollars in 
erecting fortifications. 

Governor Shirley of Massachusetts had been told that a sudden 
attack on this fortress might succeed, and he at once decided to 
organize an expedition. Parkman in his history calls this under- 
taking "a mad scheme." A man called William Vaughan, who lived 
on the Damariscotta River in Maine, had been urging the attack 
for many years, as he feared that Louisburg might some day destroy 
his fish and lumber trade. Shirley talked the question over with 
him and determined to bring his proposal before the legislature. 

27 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

He succeeded finally in obtaining a favorable decision by a majority 
of only one vote. Massachusetts furnished three thousand men, 
Connecticut and New Hampshire contributed five hundred troops, 
and Rhode Island loaned a ship-of-war. Colonel William Pepperell 
of Kittery, Maine, was chosen to command the expedition, and 
Roger Wolcott of Connecticut was commissioned Major-General and 
second in command. Colonel Pepperell very much doubted the 
success of the enterprise, as he had only one 24-gun frigate and twelve 
small vessels. Governor Shirley appealed to England for assistance, 
and three ships were despatched, which, however, arrived in Boston 
after Colonel Pepperell's vessels had left. They joined the attacking 
force at Louisburg and furnished much assistance. 

The New Englanders effected a landing on the first of May and laid 
siege to the town at once. Vaughan on the next day led four hundred 
men back of the hills where he succeeded in setting on fire some naval 
stores. Nearby the French had a battery of thirty guns, and when 
the defenders saw the clouds of smoke they became panic-stricken 
and fled without firing a shot. Vaughan's men of course took 
possession, turning the guns against their former owners. The capture 
of this battery was good fortune and helped to decide the fate of the 
fortress. In a few days some British vessels arrived upon the scene, 
and the combined forces prepared a thousand scaling ladders for a 
grand attack. The Frenchmen became discouraged at these prepara- 
tions and so surrendered on June 17. The world could not believe 
that Louisburg had fallen. New England celebrated the event with 
great enthusiasm. Colonel Pepperell was made a baronet, the only 
native American who ever received this appointment. Louisburg 
Square was named to commemorate this victory, but the two statues, 
one of Aristides and the other of Columbus, one at each end of the 
Square, are in no way connected with the Louisburg expedition. 

GOVERNOR BERNARD'S GRANT OF MOUNT DESERT 

ISLAND 

In 1760 and 1 761 many families emigrated to the Maine Coast 
and land was given to them. Francis Bernard, Governor of Massa- 
chusetts, who came here in 1760, showed a great interest in the move- 
ment. He was interested not only in the lands as an investment 
but wished to hold the province of Maine for his State. He was not 
well off, had many expenses at that time in the service of the govern- 
ment, and so petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for some of the 
lands of Maine to cover expenses. In 1762 he was granted one-half 
of the island of Mount Desert for "his extraordinary services." This 
suited well his desires as it gave him part of the lands which he wanted 
to unite into a new township east of the Penobscot. In September of 
this same year the Governor visited his new possessions, with the 
idea of trying to promote the settlement of the island. He set sail 
with a large suite and sent ahead his two surveyors, Nathan Jones 
and Borachias Mason, whose maps and data are still in existence. 

29 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

Governor Bernard's diary gives an exact record of his trip and de- 
scribes how he first saw the mountains of Mount Desert as he sailed 
past Fox Island. They anchored in South West Harbour. He 
describes also how they discovered Somes's log house at the head of 
the Sound by the same name. Somes was one of the pioneer settlers 
of Mount Desert, coming from Gloucester. On his return voyage 
Bernard mentions passing Isle au Haut and Matinicus, landing at 
Portsmouth. His papers in the Harvard College Library give a 
detailed description of Mount Desert. 

He tried to encourage settlements in every way and laid out plots 
of land in South West Harbour, which he offered for sale. Here he 
also made his quarters, built some houses, and started a mill. 

He had not yet received a confirmation of his grant by the authori- 
ties in England, and he therefore resolved in 1764 to appeal to the 
King in a very complete document. He received a favorable reply 
and immediately sent his agent, Joseph Chadwick, who mapped 
the island and gave accurate descriptions, all but the map having been 
preserved. Bernard's plans were, however, interrupted by the 
Stamp Act riots just before the Revolution. His recall came the fol- 
lowing year, and he departed amid the pealing of bells and the roar 
of artillery. The Liberty Tree was also decked with flags, and mid- 
night bonfires were kindled on Fort Hill. On his return to England 
he was knighted. 

Bernard was a benefactor of Harvard College and a country gentle- 
man. Although he lived opposite Jamaica Pond it is said he at- 
tended services in Brookline because they were shorter than at Rox- 
bury. In his will he bequeathed his property in Mount Desert 
to trustees, for his son John, who after a long contest, owing to the 
fact that his father's property had been confiscated, finally obtained 
title to it. 



THE FIRST STAGE COACH LINE OUT OF BOSTON 

"Long ago, at the end of the route, 
The stage pulled up, and the folks stepped out. 
They have all passed under the tavern door — 
The youth and his bride and the gray threescore. 
Their eyes were weary with dust and gleam, 
The days had gone like an empty dream. 
Soft may they slumber, and trouble no more 
For their eager journey, its jolt and roar, 
In the old coach over the mountain." 

The first public stage-coach line from Boston was established in 
1763 by Bartholomew Stavers, who had his headquarters at the 
Sign of the Lighthouse in the North End. The starting-point was 
in Charlestown in order to save the trouble of ferrying, and the 
coach ran to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His conveyance was 
called the "Portsmouth Flying Stage-coach" and was built to carry 
"six persons inside, each person to pay 13 shillings and 6 pence sterling 

30 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a print. 



Collection of Bostonian Society. 
AN OLD STAGE-COACH OF THE EARLY DAYS. 



to Portsmouth, and 9 shillings to Newburyport; to set out every 
Friday morning, between six and seven o'clock; to put up at inns 
on the road, where good entertainment and attendance will be pro- 
vided for the passengers in the coach. Returning, to leave Ports- 
mouth every Tuesday morning." The owner also announced that, 
as this was a convenient and genteel way of travelling and much 
cheaper than hiring carriages or horses, he hoped gentlemen and 
ladies would encourage the same. This first stage line was regarded 
with much astonishment, and its establishment was looked upon 
as a great achievement, and it may be imagined that no railway was 
later greeted with more enthusiasm than was the opening of this 
first stage-coach line between Boston and Portsmouth. Of the 
comforts of Mr. Stavers's equipage the least said probably the better, 
for the coaches of ye olden time have been likened to everything from 
a distiller's vat to a diving bell, with sundry violoncello cases "hung 
equally balanced between front and back springs" in between. 
The motion has been said to resemble " a ship rocking or beating against 
a heavy sea, straining all her timbers with a low moaning sound as 
she drives over the contending waves." Nevertheless, in spite of 
discomforts New England folk would travel, and there must have 
"been a certain elation in arising in the dim hours of the morning, 
partaking of a hot, fragrant, frugal breakfast, hearing the bustle and 
preparations, neighing of horses and calls of men in the tavern-yard, 
and setting forth on a long journey before dawn. There was the 
break in the monotony of things when horses were changed at a 
tavern farther on in the journey, the unmistakable interest when 
bits of news were related as the horses were harnessed, the gathering 
of loungers and village folk about the stage-coach, the crack of whips 
when the journey was again resumed, and at the end of the seemingly 
interminable journey the welcome and warmth of a good tavern 
where famished travellers might refresh themselves. 

31 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

The next "stage-chaise" ran between Boston and Salem, and 
only a few years later another line was started to Marblehead by 
Edward Wade, who might be "spoken with at the widow Trefry's 
in Fish (North) Street." In 1814 a stage-coach line was put into 
operation between Boston and New York, which ran every three 
days. Longfellow, when he visited the Wayside Inn in 1840, wrote 
that "The stage left Boston about three o'clock in the morning, reach- 
ing the Sudbury Tavern for breakfast, a considerable portion of the 
route being travelled in total darkness, and without your having 
the least idea who your companions might be." The accidents, 
however, are described as being very few and rarely fatal. When 
the railroads were first started there were some serious accidents, 
which caused one of the older Bostonians to remark: "You got 
upset in a coach, and there you were! You get upset in a rail-car — 
and, damme, where are you?" 

The stage-drivers, in addition to their regular duties, frequently 
attended to the shopping orders of the people who lived along the 
line. One old driver in Ayer, Massachusetts, bought bonnets for 
most of the women on his route, and he always bragged that he 
used to purchase a great many but never two alike, and that he was 
the only one who could be trusted to perform this important task. 
The drivers insisted that they could change horses before the stage 
stopped rocking. The travellers as a rule were not so complimentary 
about their conveyance, as they often referred to the change as an 
exchange of prisons. Modern travel has its disadvantages and lack 
of picturesqueness, after all — and forever about the old stage-coach 
days will linger a breath of romance and the spirit of the fascination 
that accompanied the lumbersome coach and joys and discomforts 
of the road. 

THE FIRST AMERICAN TRAITOR 

Dr. Benjamin Church has the dishonorable distinction of being 
the first traitor to this country, and as he has no descendants in 
New England to-day so far as can be learned, a sketch of his un- 
worthy career may be ventured upon. Church came of a very dis- 
tinguished family, was a graduate of Harvard College, an excellent 
surgeon, and posed previous to the Revolution as one of the leading 
patriots of Massachusetts; he was a member of the famous Com- 
mittee of Safety and even delivered an oration in the Old South 
Meeting-house on March 5, 1773, the anniversary of the massacre. 
It afterwards developed that even ten years before this time he had 
been in secret correspondence with Governor Hutchinson. In 1774 
Paul Revere wrote that he was surprised to find the secrets of the 
Vigilance Committee had been made known immediately to General 
Gage although every member of the committee had sworn to keep 
its proceedings secret. At the outbreak of the Revolution he was 
attached to a large army hospital, and it was while there that he was 
detected in secret correspondence with General Gage. He had 

32 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

intrusted a letter in cipher to a woman to be taken to the British 
commander. The woman was captured and Church's treachery 
discovered. He was brought before a council over which Washing- 
ton presided and on being questioned practically admitted his 
guilt. He was found guilty but was remanded for the General Court. 
At the trial held in Watertown the court-room was crowded. The 
defence claimed that the letter was written to Church's brother, and 
Church himself declared that no one had a greater love for America 
than he. Nevertheless, on very clear evidence he was found guilty 
and condemned to the Norwich jail in Connecticut, where his health 
soon failing he was allowed to leave the country. He set sail for the 
West Indies, and his ship was never again heard from. 

While in confinement in the Jonathan Belcher house on the corner 
of Brattle and Hawthorn Streets, Cambridge, he carved on the door 
of a closet his name, "B. Church, Jr." The marks can still be seen, 
although their meaning was not understood until fifty years had 
elapsed. 

CAPTAIN MUGFORD'S CAPTURE OF THE BRITISH SHIP 

"HOPE" 

A hero of the Revolutionary War of whom we rarely hear is Captain 
James Mugford of Marblehead. He had been impressed on a British 
frigate, and while on board he heard the crew talking about a powder- 
ship soon to arrive from England. His wife obtained his release by 
giving as an excuse that they had been only recently married and 
that she needed him for support. Without waiting for a commission 
he boarded a fishing-smack called the "Franklin," shown as a 
frontispiece, and cruised up and down the bay waiting for his prey. 
Soon the "Hope" appeared, whereupon the innocent-looking fisher- 
man sailed up alongside. Suddenly the daring Captain Mugford 
grappled the English store-ship, called to his crew below decks, and, 
boarding the "Hope," sailed off to Boston with her as a prize within 
sight of His Majesty's fleet then anchored in Nantasket Roads. The 
prize-ship contained powder and arms worth over a million dollars 
to the Yankees, the powder being especially valuable owing to the 
fact that Washington's army was very short of it at that time. With- 
out any doubt this incident of May 17, 1776 was one of the most 
important events of the war. Two days later Captain Mugford 
while sailing the "Franklin" through Shirley Gut was^ attacked 
by some British ships and a furious battle ensued, during which 
he was killed. As he fell back into the boat one of the crew inquired 
if he were wounded, whereupon he replied, "Yes, but don't Jet the 
enemy know the situation, and if I die act as if I were alive and 
am still commanding." He then expired. His men beat off the 
enemy and sailed back into Marblehead Harbour where the captain 
was buried with military honors. 



33 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a photograph. Taken for the book. 

HOUSE OF DEBORAH SAMPSON GANNETT, IN SHARON. 
Mrs. Gannett was the only woman in Massachusetts who enlisted in the Revolutionary Army. 



A SHARON WOMAN ENLISTS IN CONTINENTAL ARMY 

Airs. Deborah Sampson Gannett of Sharon, Massachusetts, has the 
distinction of being the only woman of this state who enlisted as a reg- 
ular soldier in the Revolutionary Army, and the proof of her service can 
be found in the resolutions of the General Court of Massachusetts 
under date of January 20, 1792, which show that she served under 
the name of "Robert Shurtleff in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment'' 
and that she was " entitled to receive as pay £34 and interest." 

She was led to enlist either on account of the frequent wooing of a 
lover for whom she did not care or owing to the death in the battle 
of Long Island of her real lover. At any rate she left home to enlist 
the night she heard of her lover's death. She enlisted at Bellingham 
for three years and was sent to West Point. Her brother and sister 
travelled hundreds of miles to find her, and the former actually 
chanced to see her in the ranks though he could not recognize her. 
She knew him and decided to write home to her mother and tell her 
she was safe, but she did not divulge her occupation. The letter 
was unfortunately intercepted. She was in the battle of White 
Plains, taking part in the bloody bayonet charge, and was shot through 
her clothes three times. She worked on a battery at Yorktown 
and was known as the "blooming boy" so fresh was her appearance. 
She proved an excellent soldier and good at all kinds of work. She 

34 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

later received two wounds, but extracted a bullet from her thigh 
with a penknife and needle before the surgeon arrived. 

General Patterson selected her as his waiter, in which position she 
proved especially efficient. She soon fell ill and became unconscious. 
Dr. Bana then discovered her identity, but he did not then divulge 
the secret. 

A Baltimore woman once fell in love with her and addressed 
letters to her while she was in prison and sent money and presents 
to her, all of which was exceedingly annoying. While performing 
duty near Baltimore she was captured by the Indians. She killed 
the savage who stood guard over her, and it seemed as if she would 
be left to perish in the wilderness. She therefore wrote to her admirer, 
signing the letter "Your own sex." After long wanderings she re- 
joined her regiment. Dr. Bana, however, had only been delaying 
her undoing, and he gave to her a letter to take back to her General 
which disclosed to him her secret. General Patterson, however, 
only commended her for her services and made arrangements to 
have her conducted back safely to Massachusetts. 

She married Benjamin Gannett after the War and lived the rest 
of her life in Sharon in a house which is still standing. In it are 
some of her relics, table, Bible, etc. In 1802 she made a successful 
lecturing tour and kept a diary of it. Her grave in Sharon is still 
preserved, and a street is named after her. She is the heroine of this 
little town. 



WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO BOSTON IN 1789 

The autumn after Washington's election to the Presidency he 
made a tour of the New England States that had ratified the Con- 
stitution. On his arrival at Boston Neck he was met by the Select- 
men and the sheriff representing Governor Hancock, but not by the 
Governor himself. A quarrel ensued here over the control of the 
procession, and Hancock's officials threatened "to make a hole 
through" the town officers. There was such a delay and the weather 
was so raw and chilly that many of the onlookers caught what was 
known for many years as the "Washington cold." The President 
in his Continental uniform rode through Orange, Newbury, and 
Marlborough Streets, all of which now form Washington Street, 
arriving at the State House for the ceremonies. Still Hancock was 
not to be seen, and added to the coldness of the occasion a cold 
dinner awaited the distinguished guest, which finally, however, the 
landlord improved upon by managing to procure an excellent fish at 
the last moment. Washington was much provoked that the Gov- 
ernor of Massachusetts refused to pay his respects to him and wrote 
in his diary, "Having engaged yesterday to take an informal dinner 
with the Governor to-day, but under full persuasion that he could 
have waited upon me as soon as I should have arrived, I excused 
myself upon his not doing it, and informing me through his Secretary 

35 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



that he was too much indisposed to do it, being resolved to receive 
the visit." The following amusing letters were then exchanged: — 

"The Governor's best respects to the President. If at home and 
at leisure the Governor will do himself the honour to pay his respects 
in half an hour. This would have been done much sooner had his 
health in any degree permitted. He now hazards everything as it 
respects his health, for the desirable purpose." 

The following answer was sent back at once: — 

"The President of the United States presents his best respects 
to the Governor, and has the honor to inform him that he shall be at 
home till two o'clock. The President need not express the pleasure 
it will give him to see the Governor; but at the same time, he most 
earnestly begs that the Governor will not hazard his health on the 
occasion." 

It looked as if the President's visit would end most disagreeably, but 
on the following day Hancock realized his mistake, and caused him- 
self to be swathed in red flannels as a victim of gout, and carried on 
the shoulders of two men into Washington's drawing-room, where 
tea was served. The President appeared most concerned over the 
inconvenient (or "convenient," as was thought by many) attack of 
gout, and the misunderstanding between the two dignitaries was 
brought to a close. Without doubt Governor Hancock made use of 
his infirmity as an excuse for not having at once visited Washington. 
Mrs. Hancock always assured her friends that her husband had a 
real attack of gout and that Washington shed tears when he saw 
the servants bringing the helpless man into his presence. Governor 
Brooks and many others thought differently, although the exact 
truth will never be known. The visit was returned by the dis- 
tinguished General and peace again reigned. 

THE NEW AMERICAN PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR. 

In 1802 Dr. Nathaniel Bowditch, who was born in Salem in 1773 
and died in Boston in 1838, published his "Practical Navigator," 
which from that day to this has been used by every shipmaster of 
this country and by most of the sailors of other English-speaking 
nations. It was not his intention to edit it in his name, but as 
he found over eight thousand mistakes in the book on navigation 
issued by J. Hamilton Moore, which E. M. Blunt, a publisher of 
nautical books in Newburyport, asked him to correct, he finally de- 
cided to affix his own name to it. One mistake alone in Moore's 
work made a difference of twenty-three miles, and is known to have 
caused the destruction of several ships. It is amusing to notice 
the prefaces written by the two authors. The earlier work by Moore 
says that the publisher "sells no sea-books, charts or instruments but 
such as may be depended on; consequently he excludes all those old 
inaccurate publications, the depending upon which has often proved 
fatal to shipping and seamen." The later publication says that "the 
author does not absolutely assert that the tables are entirely cor- 

36 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

rect, but feels conscious that no pains have been spared to make 
them so." This statement was more modest than it need be, for his 
book has been pronounced "second to no work of man ever pub- 
lished," to use the words of Daniel A. White, who wrote a eulogy 
on the life of the celebrated mathematician. The "Navigator" 
contains the results of experiences on his voyages, and employs simple 
formulas for working out nautical problems. Dr. Bowditch sailed 
always as clerk, supercargo or master with Captain Prince of Salem, 
and he spent most of his time at sea reading and working out prob- 
lems. The first ship he sailed on was owned by the well-known mer- 
chant, Elias Hasket Derby. On his fourth voyage, when his vessel 
arrived at Manila the Captain was asked by a Scotchman named 
Murray how he managed to find his way into the harbour by dead- 
reckoning. His answer was that he "had a crew of twelve men, 
every one of whom could take and work a lunar observation as well, 
for all practical purposes, as Sir Isaac Newton himself, were he alive." 
Murray was so surprised at this statement that he decided to go 
down and inspect the ship and her learned crew. He soon discovered 
that Captain Prince was right, and he is quoted as saying "there is 
more knowledge of navigation on board that ship than there ever 
was in all the vessels that ever floated in Manila Bay." An amusing 
anecdote is related in connection with "Cleopatra's Barge," owned 
by George Crowninshield, when she arrived in Genoa in 1 817. A 
visitor came on board, whereupon the Captain pointed to one of 
his men and remarked that he was a pupil of Nathaniel Bowditch 
and really navigated the ship. The visitor was surprised to find how 
much he and the other seamen knew about navigation and was told 
that even the cook could figure longitude. This individual, who 
was colored, was thereupon summoned on deck, appearing in a white 
apron, a chicken in one hand and a butcher's knife in the other, 
but he was nevertheless able to answer all the questions put to him. 
To sail with Dr. Bowditch resulted in sure promotion, and on this 
fourth voyage the whole crew of twelve men subsequently attained 
the rank of first or second officer. The "Navigator" made him known 
throughout this country and many others, and rarely has one treatise 
ever gained so much popularity for its author. The London Athe- 
nceum said, "It goes, both in American and British craft, over every 
sea of the globe, and is probably the best work of the sort ever pub- 
lished." It is all the more remarkable when one realizes that Dr. 
Bowditch accomplished so much while handicapped by extreme 
poverty. His ancestors who came to Salem in 1639 had been nearly 
all of them shipmasters. His father Habakkuk, who was a cooper, 
was so poor at one time that he had to be helped by the Salem Marine 
Society. His son Nathaniel, however, would not allow poverty to 
interfere with his desire for learning; in fact, he believed the hard- 
ships he endured were actually of assistance to him by making him 
work all the more conscientiously. He used to enjoy the story of the 
mathematician who had just inherited much money, whereupon a 
friend of his remarked: "Ah! I am sorry. You are too rich. You 

38 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

must give up mathematics." The author of the "Navigator," who 
at the age of only twenty-five was the best mathematician in New 
England, for many years wore summer clothes every winter and 
often had to sit down to a dinner consisting only of a few potatoes. 

When he went to school at Danvers he was so young that the 
teacher would not let him study mathematics until he had received 
the consent of his father. On one occasion he solved such a diffi- 
cult problem that his instructor accused him of receiving help from 
one of the older students, and it was only the explanation of young 
Bowditch's elder brother that saved the brilliant student from punish- 
ment. Habakkuk Bowditch was obliged to withdraw his son from 
school, when only ten years old, and he took him into his cooper-shop. 
From here he entered the ship-chandler's store of Ropes & Hodges 
and then went to a Mr. Ward's shop where he remained until his 
first voyage in 1795. While in this last position a visitor, upon 
entering the store and seeing the lad studying, remarked that he 
would become an "almanac maker" if he kept on improving, this 
being to him the highest point one could reach in mathematics. 
During his youth he overheard his brother W 7 illiam mention that 
problems were often worked out by letters instead of by figures, and 
this first suggestion of algebra so excited his curiosity that he did 
not sleep a minute during the whole of the next night. Some years 
later, curiously enough, the scientific library of Dr. Richard Kirwan 
was captured in the English Channel by a Beverly privateer and 
was presented to an association in Salem which later became the 
Salem Athenaeum. Some time afterwards an offer of remuneration 
was made to Dr. Kirwan, but he declined the suggestion, saying that 
he was pleased "his library had found so useful a destination." Dr. 
Bowditch never forgot how much he was indebted to this valuable 
collection of books. 

He received the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Laws 
from Harvard University, and was chosen president of the American 
Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the East India Marine Society. 
He was elected a member of the Edinburgh Royal Society and other 
societies in London, of the Royal Academy of Palermo, and of the 
Royal Academy of Berlin, and in this country he was elected to the 
American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia and the Literary 
and Philosophical Society of New York. He became president of 
the Essex Fire and Marine Society of Salem, and in 1823 moved to 
Boston, which he called "the home of his adoption," in order to take 
the position of actuary of the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance 
Company. Just before he left the city of his birth a farewell dinner 
was given to him, and it is doubtful if any man ever left Salem more 
regretted. Dr. Bowditch, as guest of the evening, was referred to 
as "the first of his countrymen in the walks of science," and it was 
declared that, "as the monarchy of France had done homage to 
her Laplace, so would the republic of America not be ungrateful 
to her Bowditch." Dr. Bowditch spent the latter years of his life 
in "peaceful mathematics," as he expressed it, dying in Boston at 

39 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

the age of sixty-five. During the last part of his life he suffered a 
great deal but was always cheerful. When the news of his death 
was received, most of the American ships in many parts of the world 
set their flags at half-mast, and many other tributes were paid to 
him in America and Europe. The Salem Marine Society in the 
resolutions passed on this occasion said: "In his death . . . not this 
community, nor our country only, but the whole world, has reason 
to do honor to his memory. ... As long as ships shall sail, the needle 
point to the north and the stars go through their wonted courses in 
the heavens, the name of Dr. Bowditch will be revered as one who 
helped his fellow-men in a time of need, who was and is a guide to 
them over the pathless ocean, and as one who forwarded the great 
interests of mankind." Dr. Young in his eulogy says, "He was a 
Great Pilot who steered all our ships over the ocean; and though 
dead, he yet liveth ... in the recorded wisdom of his invaluable book." 
There is a painting of him in the Salem Museum, an organization 
composed at one time only of masters and supercargoes who had sailed 
beyond Cape Horn or the Cape of Good Hope. Every member had 
to make a record of his voyage and deposit it on his return in the 
Museum. His statue is in the entrance hall of the Boston Athenaeum, 
of which he was a trustee; there is still another painting in the Hospi- 
tal Life Insurance Company. 

When Dr. Young visited the house in which the Bowditch family 
lived in Danvers he inquired of the old woman what she knew about 
the previous owner, and she replied: "Oh, yes, he became a great 
man and went to Boston and had a mighty deal of learning. I 
believe he was a pilot and knew how to steer all the vessels." This 
was her confused idea of "The Practical Navigator." 

The house in which he was born is still standing, although not 
exactly in its original position. It is in the rear of Brown's Court, 
where it was moved probably in the early seventies. 

THE NEW ENGLAND GUARDS 

The New England Guards was an organization formed in the War 
of 1 812, and after the year i860 was usually known as the "Fourth 
Battalion." As well as performing its usual State military duty it 
saw service in the wars of 181 2 and 1 861. The records of the com- 
pany are preserved in the Bostonian Society, having been saved by 
great good luck from the fire of 1872, owing to the fact that they 
had been borrowed just at that time from the archives. The first 
recorded meeting was on September 3, 1812, and it was then an- 
nounced that the Selectmen had given one of the rooms in Faneuil 
Hall for the use of the Guards as an armory. The "New England 
Guards" was officially organized later in the month, Samuel Swett 
being chosen captain, George Sullivan, lieutenant, and Lemuel 
Blake, ensign. It was provided that a fine be levied if a member left 
the town for over three months, and also for failure to report within 
six days of his return. The first parade was on November 19, 1815, 

40 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

the line of march of the fifty-six men being through State Street, 
Cornhill, Winter and Park Streets. The motto of the company 
was "Our Nation's Honour is the Bond of Union." The records of 
the organization are very voluminous and very neatly kept, although 
there are two mistakes that are very amusing. The expression 
''''tuck up the line of march" is used, and when referring to a can- 
didate it is mentioned that he was "admitted a member of the corpse." 
In 1814 the State legislature furnished the company with two cannons 
which were placed in the rooms of the Bostonian Society in 1880. 
They are inscribed, "Cast and mounted by order of the Board of 
War for the N. E. G. 1814." On February 18, 1813, the Guards 
escorted Commodore Bainbridge from Long Wharf up State Street 
to the Exchange Coffee House, and in the autumn of the same year 
the company encamped near the estate of the Hon. Peter C. Brooks in 
Medford. The record of this outing reads, "Thus having the honour 
to be the first military corps that has marched out of town with com- 
plete camp equipage . . . since the establishment of our Common- 
wealth." This custom was carried out almost every year but was 
not followed by other troops. A few years later the clerk of the 
company was so proud of the behavior of his comrades that he in- 
scribed on the records, "Although several apple-trees were bending 
under the weight of their fruit in the immediate vicinity of the en- 
campment, not one of them was an apple lighter when we left." The 
encampment at Savin Hill, shown in the accompanying cut, was 
in honor of Lafayette, who made it a visit, and it was therefore called 
the "Lafayette Campaign." General Lafayette and the Governor of 
Massachusetts both tried their hand at target practice, and the Mayor 
and members of the City Government were also present. Seventy 
men were in camp here, — a large number for those days. 

Another expedition of the New England Guards was to Barnstable 
to assist in the second centennial celebration of that town. Almost 
the entire company became seasick soon after passing Fort Indepen- 
dence but recovered in time for the procession. An oration followed, 
about which the company's scribe wrote, "As all things must have 
an end, so the services and oration were at length concluded." One 
of the toasts drunk was "The New England Guards: Cape Cod gives 
them to-day as friends what they are always prepared to give their 
country's enemies, — a warm reception." 

The Guards also performed escort duty during the procession to 
Bunker Hill in 1825 when the corner-stone of the monument was 
laid. Ten years later a ball was given to the Company at the Norfolk 
House, which was attended by "the lovely beings whom nature has 
ordered to be the participators of man's joys and sorrows," the clerk 
(evidently an admirer of the fair sex) also inserting, "For although 
it must be acknowledged that champagne has power, it must also 
be acknowledged that it has not the charm of the musical voice of a 
beautiful lady." 

In 1844 the Guards made a trip to Providence and New York 
and wore their bearskin caps for the first time. In their records is 

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SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

an account of a Rhode Island clam-bake given to them by the Light 
Infantry of Providence. 

In August, 1856 the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop gave a brilliant 
ball for them at Nahant. The armory in Gray's Building on the 
southern corner of Washington and Summer Streets was dedicated 
on October 10, 1859, speeches being made by Mayor Seaver, General 
B. F. Edmands and Colonel Thomas C. Amory of the Cadets. 

During the war the Guards, who now were part of the Fourth Bat- 
talion, were sent to garrison Fort Independence, but there is no list 
of those who served then. The New England Guards Reserve — 
composed of men who could not go to the front — was organized at 
the beginning of the war to take the place of the Guards who were 
able to go. The Guards became a part of the 24th Massachusetts, 
which was recruited by Mayor Thomas G. Stevenson, whose statue 
is at the entrance of the Hall of Flags in the State House. In 1862 
Governor Andrew presented a flag to the Guards, and several years 
later the company dissolved. 

The following is the epitaph of the New England Guards: "The 
only militia organization in the country which died from patriotism, 
most of its members capable of bearing arms having gone into active 
service in defence of the Nation's integrity." 

" C] I ESA PEAK E" AND " SHANNON " 

Many people assembled on the shores of Hull, Nahant and Marble- 
head on the ill-fated day June I, 18 13, to witness the conflict between 
the British "Shannon" and the American "Chesapeake." It was 
about luncheon time, and many of the wives complained because 
their husbands dropped their knives and forks when they heard 
the roar of the guns just north-east of Boston Light. General Broke, 
the English commander, desiring to retrieve the defeat of the "Mace- 
donian," "Guerriere," "Peacock" and "Java," sent a challenge to 
Captain James Lawrence, who had been recently transferred to the 
"Chesapeake," in which he said: "I request that you will do me 
the favor to meet the 'Shannon,' ship to ship, to try the fortune of 
our respective flags. ... I will send all other ships beyond the power 
of interfering with us, and meet you whenever it is most agreeable 
to you. ... I will warn you should any of my friends be too nigh . . . 
or I would sail with you, under a flag of truce, to any place you think 
safest from our cruisers, hauling it down when fair to begin hostilities. 
. . . You will feel it as a compliment if I say that the result of our 
meeting may be the most grateful service I can render to my country; 
and I doubt not that you, equally confident of success, will feel con- 
vinced that it is only by repeated triumphs, in even combats, that 
your little navy can now hope to console your country for the loss 
of that trade it can no longer protect." This was certainly a cold- 
blooded challenge, but a most fair and gallant one, and curiously 
enough was never received, as the "Chesapeake" sailed the morning 
the letter was sent. 

44 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

The American vessel had been unlucky, and Captain Lawrence 
had not yet sufficiently trained his crew. The wharves were thronged 
as he prepared for sea, and as he set sail a negro from Halifax recog- 
nized a friend on board and shouted: "Good-bye, Sam! You are 
going to Halifax sure before you come back to Bosting." He was 
promptly imprisoned. The "Chesapeake's" crew seemed despondent 
and complained of not having received -their prize money, whereupon 
the commander ordered the purser to distribute checks. 

It was a beautiful day when the "Shannon" started down the 
Harbour, looking for her rival. Suddenly she saw her with all sails 
set approaching from Marblehead. The "Chesapeake" bore straight 
away for the Britisher, and when within pistol-shot swung into 
the wind, and then ensued one of the bloodiest and most terrific 
combats between two ships-of-war. Many broadsides were fired, 
and then, as the American ship swung toward the "Shannon," 
General Broke and fifty of his men rushed on board and there took 
place a terrific hand-to-hand fight for the possession of the gangway, 
many of the "Chesapeake's" crew being finally driven into the hold. 
The English commander was severely wounded in the head, and, 
propped up against the gunwale, watched the remainder of the fight. 
In the short space of fifteen minutes the Yankee vessel had been hit 
362 times, 61 of her crew had been killed and 85 wounded, while the 
English vessel had been struck by 158 shot, and 83 of her seamen 
were dead or disabled. Lawrence was mortally wounded. His 
friend Samuel Livermore of Boston, who accompanied him during 
this fight, attempted to avenge the wounding of his commander by 
shooting General Broke, but the shot just missed the mark. Law- 
rence from below heard the firing cease for a few moments, and sent 
his surgeon at once to urge the men to fight on, repeating: "The 
colors shall wave while I live. Don't give up the ship." To the 
dismay and surprise of the people on shore the English flag was seen 
at the masthead of the "Chesapeake." The Bostonians were so 
sure of a victory that they had prepared a banquet and Broke and 
his officers were to have been invited. Instead they had to watch 
their ship being carried away within sight of Boston Light, and those 
who came out in their vessels had to steer their way sadly back to 
Boston. The two ships then started for Halifax, their decks strewn 
with the dead and dying, the commander of one unconscious and 
the other dying. It was indeed a dismal spectacle. In one of Broke's 
conscious moments he inquired about Lawrence, and hearing he was 
so ill he sent his own surgeon to take care of him. But Lawrence 
died on the way to port; his victor, practically recovered, returned 
to England and was knighted. He died in 1 841, being under the 
care of a physician all the rest of his life. Captain George Crownin- 
shield fitted out the "Henry" at his own expense to recover Law- 
rence's remains, and succeeded in bringing them back to Salem, where 
the funeral was held. It was most impressive, among the pall- 
bearers being Hull, Stewart and Bainbridge. The procession was led 
by John Saunders. Five traitors were discovered among the crew 

46 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

of the "Chesapeake." The American naval signals fell into the 
hands of the enemy in this fight, and Bainbridge, Decatur and Hull 
were appointed a special committee to select a new code. 

LAFAYETTE'S MEETING IX BOSTON WITH COLONEL 
HUGER, WHO DESCRIBES HIS ATTEMPTED RESCUE 
OF THE GENERAL FROM THE AUSTRIAN PRISON 

When Lafayette arrived in Boston in 1824 he said to Josiah Quincy, 
then aide-de-camp to the Governor: "There is one man in America 
whom I saw but for ten minutes, and this was thirty years ago; but 
I saw him under circumstances which engraved his countenance 
forever upon my mind. I count the moments till I can embrace my 
good friend, Colonel Huger of South Carolina." He was not dis- 
appointed, for the Colonel came North especially to meet the man 
for whom he had risked his life. Lafayette had been imprisoned by 
the Russians in an Austrian dungeon at Olmutz for expressing too 
openly his ideas on liberty and politics, and he was told he should 
never leave his filthy cell. A physician of the prison told the Aus- 
trian Government that Lafayette would soon die unless given purer 
air, but the reply came back, "No, he is not sick enough yet." Public 
indignation was finally aroused, and he was allowed occasionally to 
go out driving. 

Colonel Huger related his extraordinary and thrilling adventure 
to a number of his friends in Boston. He was a child three years 
old when Lafayette, in order to avoid some British cruisers, landed 
on North Island in South Carolina, and by chance knocked on the 
door of his father's house, which was the first place in America at 
which he stayed. The next day the Frenchman departed to join 
the American Army. Many years later, just after Lafayette's arrest 
in Austria, a physician named Dr. Bollman was hired by_ some of 
Lafayette's friends to hunt up his whereabouts, and he discovered 
after a long search that he was confined at Olmutz in Moravia. Boll- 
man succeeded in notifying the prisoner by means of a book sent in 
to him that an attempt would be made to rescue him, and just at this 
time he happened to meet Colonel Huger, to whom he told his plans. 
The two men decided to work together, and they set out at once from 
Hoff, which was near Olmutz. They then hid in the woods near the 
road from the prison, and soon a carriage approached in which were 
Lafayette and two guards. As neither of the rescuers knew the 
prisoner by sight it had been arranged by means of this same book 
that was passed into the jail, that Lafayette, to reveal his identity, 
should raise his hat and wipe his forehead with his handkerchief. As 
the carriage came nearer the signal was given and the two men 
followed along behind. Presently the prisoner alighted on the pre- 
tence of taking a little exercise, when suddenly he grasped the sword 
of the guard who was with him, Dr. Bollman and Colonel Huger 
galloping up at the same moment. This officer was overpowered, 
the other one returning at once to the prison for assistance. Lafayette 

47 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

was hurried to a horse which had been brought here for this purpose, 
and as he rode away Colonel Huger told him to "Go to Hoff" where 
further preparations had been made for his escape. The General 
unfortunately misunderstood the directions for "Go off," and rode 
to Zagorsdorf. Consequently the plans miscarried. It was a very 
unlucky incident and resulted in the capture of all three conspirators, 
who were taken back to Olmutz and imprisoned separately, each one 
ignorant of the other's condition. Huger finally discovered that 
Dr. Bollman was in the room above him, and from Bollman Huger 
learned of the defeat of the plan of rescue. Lafayette had conveyed 
the news to Bollman by a message placed in an imitation carrot 
made of wood which Lafayette had hollowed out and placed in 
the prison soup-dish. A man who served as their interpreter ob- 
tained the release of Huger and Bollman, and just as they had passed 
the Austrian frontier an order for a new trial was received. It 
came too late, and their lives were probably saved by this small 
margin. Lafayette remained in prison three years after this attempt 
to rescue him, five years in all. He was told that his two friends 
had been captured and would soon be executed but was never in- 
formed of their release. A play was acted in New York at this 
time called "The Castle of Olmutz," in which Colonel Huger was 
the central figure. One of his admirers asked him if he were not the 
hero of the play, to which he replied: "Heroes are always married at 
the end of the play, and I am not so fortunate. I am represented, 
however, as desperately in love with the daughter of the Governor of 
the Castle, and I am left in the same unhappy situation at the end of 
the play. I have always had a particular aversion to romantic love- 
stories, and little thought that I should ever see myself figuring in one 
of them." While in Boston a lady expressed to him the admiration 
with which he was regarded by every one. "I simply considered 
myself the representative of the young men of America, and acted 
accordingly," was the modest reply. 

THE BURNING OF THE URSULINE CONVENT IX 
CHARLESTOWN 

Soon after the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in 
Boston the Ursuline Sisters opened a convent, which they later moved 
to Mount Benedict Hill in Charlestown, now part of Somerville. 
This situation, with gardens, trees and beautiful lawns was most 
attractive. It was rumored that Mary St. John Harrison was being 
confined in the convent when she was desirous of leaving it. Also 
at this time a book appeared entitled "Six Months in a Convent," 
which was written by an ignorant pupil and contained many false- 
hoods. The reports were all unfounded, yet the people were so 
excited that they openly made threats to burn the convent and even 
posted in Charlestown placards announcing that the event would 
take place on a certain night. The authorities could not believe 
such a disgrace could happen, but on that same night, the nth of 

48 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a print. Collection of Boslonian Society. 

THE RUINS OF THE URSULINE CONVENT IN CHARLESTOWN 



August, 1834, a mob consisting chiefly of a guild of Boston truckmen, 
assembled on the grounds and a bonfire was then lighted as a signal 
that the event was about to take place. The Superior of the convent, 
Mrs. Moffatt, when notified to leave the building, rushed out on the 
balcony and ordered the men to disperse, adding "for if you don't 
the Bishop has twenty thousand Irishmen at his command in Boston 
who will whip you all into the sea." These remarks sealed the fate 
of the institution, and the work of destruction began. The furniture 
was broken and destroyed and the convent set on fire. Nothing 
remained except the bare walls, and these stood for forty years as an 
example of the only destruction in Boston of a religious institution 
by a mob. The firemen from the neighboring towns hurried to the 
scene but would take no part in subduing the flames. Colonel Thomas 
C. Amory, the chief engineer of the Boston Fire Department, went 
to Charlestown at the first alarm and did all he could to persuade 
the firemen to stick to their duty. His efforts were well-nigh useless, 
nor did the local authorities have any better success. 

A meeting was called in Faneuil Hall, and Otis and Quincy made 
speeches denouncing the burning as "a base and cowardly act," 
and the Mayor appointed a committee to investigate the affair and 
to bring the offenders to justice. 

It looked as if there would be a riot in Boston the day after the 
burning, but Mayor Lyman by a clever ruse prevented a serious 
conflict between the rioters who were carrying some trophies from 

49 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

the convent and a band of Irishmen organized for the purpose of 
attacking the plunderers. The Mayor sent for the leader of the 
band which was to lead the procession of rioters and said: "You are 
to play at the head of the procession. The militia are under arms. 
They will fire. You are a stout man and will surely be shot!" Im- 
mediately the band-master informed his friends that he had decided 
not to play, and their ardor was so dampened that only a few paraded 
across Charlestown Bridge towards Boston. Here the Mayor had 
stationed a man on horseback, who on seeing the procession ap- 
proach galloped off post-haste. "He is going for the military!" 
they cried, and the mob dispersed. Several persons were arrested 
and tried, Chief Justice Shaw, and Governor Davis of Massachusetts 
doing all in their power to punish the offenders. Unfortunately it 
was impossible to obtain sufficient proof against any of them and 
they were therefore acquitted. 

Mount Benedict is no more, the hill having been razed some years 
ago. 

THE TRIAL AND RENDITION OF ANTHONY BURNS 
So great was the interest in Anthony Burns that P. T. Barnum, 
the showman, offered him $500 after freedom had been given him, 
if he would tell his story on the platform for five weeks. The offer 
was promptly rejected. Burns's extradition from Boston was the most 
memorable of the "fugitive slave" cases in New England. Great 
excitement was created, much expense entailed and serious ques- 
tions of law were brought up. It was only a few years before that 
the fugitive Sims had been returned to the South, and another slave, 
Shadrach, had been arrested and finally escaped. 

Burns came to Boston and found employment in a clothing store 
on Brattle Street. While leaving this shop on the 24th of May, 
1854, he was arrested by a man named Butman, whose business it 
was to hunt fugitive slaves. Butman told him he was charged with 
theft. Six or seven other men then rushed out to assist in the capt- 
ure, and they carried Burns to the Court House before the United 
States Marshal, E. G. Loring. Only now did it begin to dawn upon 
the unfortunate prisoner that he had been arrested as a fugitive 
slave or, even worse, as a runaway. In a few moments his former 
owner, Colonel Charles F. Suttle, and the latter's agent, both from 
Alexandria, West Virginia, appeared, the former greeting the pris- 
oner sarcastically as "Mr." Burns. The Colonel asked him if he 
had not given him money when he needed it, to which Burns replied 
that he had always received from him twelve and a half cents once a 
year. During the night Burns was obliged to fast, in the mean time 
•watching his armed guard of eight men indulging themselves in luxu- 
ries. After a small breakfast he had to appear in court. The papers 
knew nothing of his arrest, and it may have been the intention of 
the authorities to hold the examination and remove the prisoner 
before any rumors got abroad. It happened, however, that R. H. 

50 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




T T A C K CX T II K C I 



From a print. 



"Anthony Burns," by Charles Stevens. 



NIGHT ATTACK ON THE COURT HOUSE IN WHICH ANTHONY BURNS WAS 

TRIED. 



Dana, Jr., the well-known lawyer, and author of "Two Years before 
the Mast," was passing the Court House at the time set for the examina- 
tion, and he went inside and offered his services to Burns, who replied, 
" It will be of no use: they have got me." 

The news of Burns's arrest spread rapidly, though no active in- 
terest was taken except by the Vigilance Committee, which was 
composed of some of the best-known men of Boston. It was or- 
ganized to assist slaves from falling into the grasp of the law, to res- 
cue them, if possible, and to prevent slaveholders from recovering 
their lost property. This Vigilance Committee determined that 
Burns should never be taken back to Virginia. Several plans were 
discussed. It was decided that a public meeting should be held at 
Faneuil Hall, and seven men pledged themselves to leave the meeting 
and to attack the Court House in an attempt to rescue Burns. Notices 
in the papers, and placards, succeeded in filling the hall. Samuel E. 
Sewall called the people to order, and George R. Russell, ex-mayor of 
Roxbury, presided. Robert Morris, a colored lawyer, and Dr. Henry 
I. Bowditch, son of the mathematician, acted as secretaries. The 
presiding officer started his address by saying that it was the boast 
of the slaveholder that he would call the roll of his slaves on Bunker 
Hill. Wendell Phillips and Theodore Parker also made speeches, 
the latter declaring: "There is no Boston to-day. There was a 
Boston once. Now there is a north suburb to the city of Alexandria." 
As he closed his remarks a roar burst forth, "To the Court House!" 
"To the Revere House for the slave-catchers!" It was moved to 

Si 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

adjourn to Court Square, but only six of the seven pledgers turned up 
prepared to carry out their threat. Nothing daunted they collected 
some friends and numbering twenty-five began their attack on the 
Court House door, armed with revolvers, axes and butcher knives. A 
large piece of timber was used as a battering-ram, and chiefly through 
the courage and determination of the Rev. Thomas Wentworth 
Higginson, whose ancestry goes back to Governor Endicott, the 
door was forced. The people in the street in the mean time shouted 
encouragement, throwing stones and even shooting at the windows. In 
the attack one of the Marshal's aides was killed. Mr. Higginson, 
much to his surprise, found himself alone inside the Court House in 
the midst of numerous soldiers. He yelled "Cowards!" to his 
friends, two of whom, Seth Webb, Jr., and Lewis Hayden, managed 
to squeeze their way in. Colonel Suttle in the mean while made a 
hasty exit by the east door, leaving his "property" to be defended 
by others. Burns's keepers in the upper story gave up card-playing 
temporarily and crouched thoroughly frightened in the farther 
corner of the jury-room, which was used as a prison, it having been 
ruled that fugitives could not be confined in a Massachusetts jail. 
Both the State and the United States troops were called out to pre- 
serve order. As Mr. Higginson remarked, "It was one of the best 
plots that ever failed." Steps were now taken to secure Burns's 
release by legal process through the Writ of Personal Replevin, which 
demanded a verdict as to whether or not the prisoner was righteously 
restrained of his liberty. It was the opinion of Sewall and Bowditch 
that Burns should be taken out of the hands of the Government even 
if force were necessary. The anger of the people had now risen to 
such a pitch that Colonel Suttle moved into the attic and fur- 
nished himself with an armed guard. His sojourn in Boston was 
made even more miserable by four or five negroes who kept watch 
unceasingly beneath his windows with the special purpose of intimi- 
dating him. He finally became so alarmed that he decided to sell 
his slave, naming $1,200 as his price. The Rev. Mr. Grimes, pastor 
of a church for colored people and also of a church for fugitive slaves, 
both in Boston, came to the rescue, obtained the necessary funds, 
chiefly through the help of Hamilton Willis, a State Street broker, 
and attempted at a prearranged meeting with Colonel Suttle to 
put through the sale. The papers had been drawn, and even a carriage 
was at the door in which to remove Burns, when District Attorney 
Hallett objected on account of the Government's expense in connec- 
tion with the case. Another meeting was arranged, but only Mr. 
Grimes appeared and the question of sale had to be dropped. 

The trial took place in the Court House, which was guarded like a 
fortress; firearms were pointed out of the windows, all entrances 
except one were guarded, and only persons known to be favorable to 
the Government's cause were allowed in, even Mr. Dana himself 
being refused admission for a long time. C. E. Stevens, who wrote 
a history of Anthony Burns, said that "never before, in the history of 
Massachusetts, had the avenues to a tribunal of justice been so ob- 

52 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

structed by bayonets." The prisoner was guarded by seven or 
eight hard-looking characters with pistols only half concealed from 
the spectators. Burns's counsel, Ellis and Dana, objected to the 
arms, but were overruled by the Court. Dana in his remarks 
said that the slums of the city had never been so safe as all the scoun- 
drels in Boston were in the Court Room. He was assaulted and 
knocked down some days later for these violent words. The family 
has a large tray which was given to Mr. Dana for his services; also 
the family possesses the original piece of paper from which he made his 
address. 

Contrary to the popular belief that the verdict would be favorable 
to the prisoner, the Judge ruled that he should be returned to his 
master. How to accomplish this was the next consideration. Gen- 
eral Edwards was chosen to command the troops. He assembled 
them on the Common, supplied each man with eleven rounds of 
ammunition and took care to have each one load his gun in the 
presence of the spectators. Burns was marched down State Street 
guarded by three battalions of infantry, the 5th Regiment of Artil- 
lery and the Corps of Cadets, while the bystanders groaned and 
hissed. Many windows were draped in black, one near the Old 
State House having hung from it a black coffin with the words "The 
Funeral of Liberty" on it, and farther on was suspended across the 
street an American flag draped in black and Union down. Many of 
the troops drank heavily before the day was over, and towards after- 
noon some were found singing a chorus of "Oh, carry me back to Old 
Virginny." 

After Burns's embarkation effigies were burned throughout New 
England for many days. A steamer at Long Wharf conveyed the 
unfortunate negro back to a traders' jail in Richmond, where his 
hands were handcuffed behind his back most of the time. He 
remained there for four months, the "Boston lion," as he was called, 
offering amusement for the hundreds of people who came to see 
him. He was removed from prison and sold by Colonel Suttle for 
$905, and later his freedom was purchased by Mr. Grimes for $1,300. 
He returned to Boston and spoke at Tremont Temple and many other 
places. He spoke well, for he had received a good education and 
had been approved in the South as a minister to preach to the 
colored people. 

A Southern editor wrote, "We rejoice in the capture of Burns, 
but a few more such victories and the South is undone." Burns was 
the last slave returned. 

Dr. Bowditch described the society now formed, called the Anti- 
Man Hunting League, which actually practised kidnapping one of its 
members in order to learn how really to do it should the occasion 
arise. 



53 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

THE PRINCE OF WALES BALL OCTOBER 18, i860 

"Long may the Prince abide, 
England's hope, joy, and pride; 

Long live the Prince; 
May England's future king 
Victoria's virtues bring 
To grace his reign — 
God save the Prince." 

— Written at time of the Prince's visit. 

The scrap-book of some Boston family probably contains the 
dance card of the Pririce of Wales which a lady stole to preserve as 
a memento of the great ball given on October 18, i860, in the Boston 
Theatre, on the corner of Court and Hanover Streets. Bostonians 
endeavored to have this ball outshine in splendor the one given by 
the New Yorkers, and from all accounts they were successful. The 
decorations were quite wonderful, a large picture of Windsor Castle 
being specially admired by the visitors, and the Prince pointed out 
to several people where his particular room was in the Castle. One 
eye-witness described the ball as a great crush. The only accident 
of the evening happened shortly after the arrival of the Royal party. 
While Mr. Zerrahn's noted orchestra was playing, some one upset a 
vase of flowers in front of the Royal box, scattering water and leaves 
over the Prince, who made light of the mishap. The Prince entered 
on the arm of the Hon. R. C. Winthrop, and opened the ball by 
dancing a quadrille with Mrs. Lincoln, the wife of Mayor Lincoln. 
His partners for the other sixteen dances were as follows: Mrs. Banks, 
wife of Governor Banks; Mrs. Wise, a daughter of the Hon. Edward 
Everett; Miss Fanny Crowninshield, Miss Susan Amory, Miss 
Carrie Bigelow, Mrs. T. E. Chickering, Mrs. Harrison Ritchie; Miss 
Lombard, the Mayor's niece; Miss Fanny Peabody, daughter of 
George Peabody of Salem; Miss Mary Crane; Miss Kittie Fay, 
daughter of the Hon. R. S. Fay; Mrs. C. F. Chickering; Miss Apple- 
ton, Mrs. Isaac C. Bates and Miss Nellie Gage. One of these 
partners was so beautiful that the Prince wished to have a second 
dance with her but the committee objected. The younger set of 
girls looked with jealousy upon those who were old enough to attend 
the ball, and were anxious to learn all about it. Many fathers sought 
the opportunity for their daughters to meet and dance with the 
Prince of Wales, and loud were the complaints of those who were 
disappointed. The committees in charge of the balls that were held 
in the various cities were blamed because the members in charge 
introduced only their own friends to the Prince. At one place (not 
Boston) the following amusing piece of poetry appeared: — 

"Sought not his taste to please, 
Asked not his wishes, 
While all around him stood 
So many misses; 
Belles at the right of him, 

54 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 



Belles at the left of him, 
Belles all in front of him, 
Young and full grown; 
While the committee set, 
All around went to get 
Friends of their own." 

The Prince, who was only nineteen years of age, was most attractive 
and danced unusually well, therefore it was not surprising that he 
remained at the ball until after four o'clock. As he left, the band 
played "God save the Queen." The managers were as follows:— 



James W. Paige 
J. Thomas Stevenson 
Harrison Ritchie 
John Quincy Adams 
Thomas G. Stevenson 
F. W. Palfrey 
W. C. Otis 
T. S. Cushing 
Augustus T. Perkins 
F. A. Osborn 
Robert G. Stevenson 
Robert F. Clark 
S. Horatio Whitwell 
James A. Amory 
F. W. Reynolds 
Jonas H. French 
R. W. Emmons 
W. H. Hinckley 
John B. Babcock 



George Blagden 
W. P. Mason, Jr. 
Samuel M. Quincy 
Francis Bartlett 
J. Frederic Marsh 
Frank W. Andrews 
Francis Braggiotti 
David Arklay 

F. S. Dewey, Jr. 
Channing Clapp 
Henry S. Tappan 
George B. Upton 

G. Howland Shaw 
Theron J. Dale 
H. P. Ammidown 
F. S. d'Hauteville 
E. A. Boardman, Jr. 
John T. Prince, Jr. 
William B. Rice 



E. M. Dennie 
John F. Anderson 
N. D. Hubbard 
H. C. Brooks 
J. Henry Sleeper 
Edward Thayer 
John Homans, Jr. 
Frank Bush, Jr. 
Frederick W. Bradlee 
John D. Bates, Jr. 
J. Dixwell Thompson 
J. Goodwin Whitney 
Casper Crowninshield 
William Pratt 
S. F. Barstow 
Amos Binney 
Ozias Goodwin, Jr. 
W. L. Horton 



While the Prince of Wales was in Boston, Ralph Farnham an old 
soldier, a hundred and four years old, who had fought at Bunker Hill 
and who was present when General Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, 
was brought in to pay his respects to the distinguished visitor. Mr. 
Farnham said he had heard so much in praise of the Prince that 
he feared the people of his country were all turning Royalists, inis 
remark was received with much merriment. _ 

While in Boston the English visitor attended a review on the 
Common and visited Harvard College and Bunker Hill A musical 
festival was also given at Music Hall, where twelve hundred children 
san* the verses composed by Oliver Wendell Holmes^ to the air of 
"God save the Queen" (the last verse is particularly interesting at 
this time) : — 

"God bless our fathers' land, 
Keep her in heart and hand 

One with our own! 
From all her foes defend. 
Be her brave people's friend, 
On all her realms descend, 
Protect her throne! 

55 




From a print. ( oli i lion of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

THE PRINCE OF WALES (KING EDWARD VII) AS A COLONEL IN THE ARMY. 

At the time of his visit to Boston. 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

"Father, in loving care 
Guard thou her kingdom's heir, 

Guide all his ways: 
Thine arm his shelter be 
From harm by land and sea, 
Bid storm and danger flee, 

Prolong his days! 

"Lord, let war's tempest cease, 
Fold the whole world in peace 

Under thy wings! 
Make all the nations one, 
All hearts beneath the sun, 
Till thou shalt reign alone, 

Great King of kings." 

After the ball given in New York there appeared some amusing 
verses entitled "The New York Ball to the Prince, or the Belles he 
danced with": — 

"Twas a grand display, was the Prince's ball, 
A pageant or fete, or what you may call 

A brilliant coruscation; 
Where ladies and lords of noble worth 
Enchanted a Prince of royal birth 
By a royal demonstration. 

"But soon the floor was set aright, 
And Peter Cooper's face grew bright, 

When, like the swell of an organ, 
All hearts beat time to the first Quadrille, 
And the Prince confessed to a joyous thrill 

As he danced with Mrs. Morgan. 

"Then came the waltz, the Prince's own — 
And every bar and brilliant tone 

Had music's sweetest grace on; 
But the Prince himself ne'er felt its charm 
Till he slightly clasped with circling arm 

That lovely girl, Miss Mason. 

"But ah! the work went bravely on, 
The meek-eyed Peace a trophy won 
By the magic art of the dancers; 
For the daring Prince's next exploit 
Was to league with Scott's Camilla Hoyt 
And overcome the lancers! 

"Besides these three he deigned to vield 
His hand to Mrs. B. M. Field, 

Miss Jay and Miss Van Buren. 
Miss Russell, too, was given a place — 
All beauties famous for their grace 
From Texas to Lake Huron. 

57 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

"With Mrs. Kernochan he 'lanced,' 
With Mrs. Edward Cooper danced, 

With Mrs. Belmont capered; 
With fair Miss Fish, in fairy rig, 
He tripped a sort of royal jig, 

And next Miss Butler favored. 

"And so the fleeting hours went by, 
And watches stopped — lest time should fly — 

Or that they winding wanted; 
Old matrons dozed and papas smiled, 
And many a fair one was beguiled 

As the Prince danced on, undaunted. 

" 'Tis now a dream — the Prince's ball, 
Its vanished glories, one and all, 

The scenes of the fairy tales; 
For Cinderella herself was there, 
And Barnum keeps for trial fair 
The beautiful slipper deposited there 
By His Highness the Prince of Wales." 

The journal of the trip written by the Secretary of the Earl of 
Newcastle, who was with the Prince's party, describes the visit to 
Boston in most nattering terms. It reads: "The feeling towards 
England as towards a home, the home of their forefathers, the home of 
their warmest feelings, is more apparent here than elsewhere in the 
States; their welcome is more cordial, their invitation to revisit them 
more earnest." 

A MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIER BECOMES A GOD OF THE 

CHINESE 

Frederick Townsend Ward of Salem, who had served as a soldier 
in the Crimean War and in Nicaragua, through chance more than 
anything else, shipped to China as mate of an American ship and 
happened to arrive in Shanghai during the Tai Ping rebellion, at a 
time when the rebels, headed by Ching Wang, had advanced within 
eighteen miles of the city. He had always been of a daring dis- 
position. It is related of him that on this voyage he plunged over- 
board when the ship was under full sail, in an attempt to catch an 
especially fine butterfly. Immediately upon his arrival he learned 
that a reward of two hundred thousand dollars was offered to any 
body of foreigners who could drive the attackers from the city of 
Sung-Kiang. Ward had been fond of fighting from his boyhood, 
and the older Salemites remember the fierce snow-ball fight between 
the "up-towns" and the "down-towns," in which he led the latter 
to victory. With this same love of battle he promptly accepted 
the task, and in less than a week he raised a body of one hundred 
foreign soldiers and with an American named Henry Burgerine as 
his lieutenant set out for the seat of trouble. He approached the 
Tai Pings, and found that he was confronted by twelve hundred 

58 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

troops, so he returned to Shanghai for re-enforcements. Even now 
he was outnumbered one hundred to one, but so fierce was his attack 
that he caused great slaughter in their ranks and finally overwhelmed 
them. It was in this battle that the expression "foreign devils" 
first appeared in the Chinese vocabulary. 

He received his reward and then set out against the rebels of 
Sung-Kiang. He and his men scaled the walls of the city and fought 
like demons, but were driven back. He returned for re-enforcements 
and succeeded in capturing the city. He then decided to move 
against Singpo. Notwithstanding a gallant attack the fortress 
stood and Ward's troops were obliged to withdraw after a bloody 
fight. In this battle he was wounded five times, and it was now 
believed that he possessed a charmed life. Even he himself remarked 
continually that the bullet was not cast which was to end his life. 




From a photograph. Collection of Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass. 

GENERAL FREDERIC TOWNSEND WARD OF 

SALEM. 



59 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

\\ hen he recovered from his many wounds he organized some 
Chinese troops, officered by Europeans and armed and equipped 
according to his methods, and with these soldiers he set out for Shang- 
hai, arriving just in time to save the city from capture. His victories 
were numerous, and he was finally made a Mandarin of the highest 
degree with the title of Admiral-General. He then assumed the 
Chinese name of Hua, became a Chinese subject, and married a 
Chinese woman of high rank. He was killed in the battle of Ningpo 
in 1862. Shot through the stomach he kept on exhorting his men 
and as victory was assured fell back unconscious into the arms of his 
lieutenant. He died the following day at the age of only thirty 
years. His funeral was a most impressive one, and was attended 
by Chinese, English, Americans, Germans and French, all nations 
having admired his discipline and bravery. Many civil and military 
officials accompanied his body to Sung-Kiang where he was buried 
in the temple grounds dedicated to Confucius thousands of years 
ago. Li Hung Chang wrote a memorial letter to the Emperor record- 
ing General Ward's death and suggesting that "it is appropriate, 
therefore, to entreat that your Gracious Majesty do order the Board 
of Rites to take into consideration suitable posthumous rewards to 
be bestowed on him, Ward; and that both at Ningpo and at Sung- 
Kiang sacrificial altars be erected to appease the Manes of this loyal 
man." With promptness an Imperial Edict directed "that special 
temples to his memory be built at Ning-Po and Sung-Kiang. Let 
this case still be submitted to the Board of Rites, who will propose 
to Us further honors so as to show our extraordinary consideration 
towards him, and also that his loyal spirit may rest in peace. This 
from the Emperor! Respect it!" Our Minister to China, Mr. 
Burlingame, forwarded a full account of Ward's career and death, 
which was read in the Senate and answered together with a message 
from President Lincoln. 

Through the lack of tact of an American attache in Peking the 
Chinese Government did not carry out this Edict for fourteen years 
and then only at Sung-Kiang. It was Li Hung Chang who had a 
mausoleum erected over the graves of Ward and his wife, who died 
several months after her husband. The temple was dedicated on 
March 10, 1877 amid most impressive ceremonies. The procession 
moved off towards the tomb amid the banging of fire-crackers and 
bombs. There were sacrifices of goats, pigs, ducks, etc. then made, 
and at the end of the dedication there were more fireworks and gongs. 
Inside the temple is a shrine upon which burnt-offerings are laid in 
February of every New Year to the Manes of General Ward, and 
to which official prayers are offered every month in the year by 
officials of the Chinese Government. The inscription at the entrance 
of the shrine reads, "A wonderful hero from beyond the seas, the 
fame of whose deserving loyalty reaches round the world, has sprinkled 
China with his azure blood." Monuments were also placed on the 
scenes of his victories. The mausoleum soon became a shrine sup- 
posed to be invested with miraculous power, and some years after 

60 



SOME EVENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 




From a photograph. Collection of Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass. 

SHRINE ERECTED IN SUNG-KIANG, CHINA, TO 

THE MEMORY OF GENERAL WARD. 



his death he was declared to be a Joss, or God, and a manuscript to 
this effect can be seen in the Essex Institute in his native city, Salem. 
Such honors have rarely fallen to the lot of any native and never 
before to a man of a western nation. 

The command of his Ever Victorious Army, as it was called, later 
fell to General Gordon, to whom has been given much^ credit that 
was really due his predecessor. A small book printed in Shanghai 
in 1863 records that "Not one in ten thousand . _. . could at all ap- 
proach him in military genius, in courage and in resources, or do 
anything like what he did." 

He has been criticised for being away from America during the 
Civil War, but it was fortune that carried him to China. He offered, 
however, $10,000 to the American cause, but died before the Govern- 
ment accepted his offer. 

61 



SOME E VEN TS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORS 

The Essex Institute of Salem now owns General Ward's hat and 
boots as well as some of his wife's jewelry, also the bullet that killed 
him, his seal, private flag, and pictures of his shrine, of himself and 
of his wife. Miss Elizabeth C. Ward, his sister, not long ago be- 
queathed $10,000 to the Essex Institute to found a Chinese library 
in memory of her brother, Salem's noted warrior and Chinese god. 
The people of China will never forget that to Ward they probably 
owe the saving of Shanghai. 



62 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 077 949 % 



